Greta Thunberg began her school strike for climate outside the Swedish Parliament. Her protest inspired a global youth-led movement demanding urgent climate action, known as Fridays for Future.
📍 Stockholm, Sweden
The United Nations observed the first International Day of Families to highlight the importance of families as the fundamental unit of society and to promote awareness of issues affecting them worldwide.
📍 New York City, United States
David Berg founded the religious group known as the Children of God, later renamed The Family International. The group became controversial for its practices and was widely criticized for alleged abuse and exploitation.
📍 Huntington Beach, California, United States
The Australian public voted overwhelmingly in favor of amending the constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census and allow the federal government to create laws for them — a major civil rights milestone.
📍 Australia
AT&T introduced the first commercial push-button (touch-tone) phone, replacing rotary dials and revolutionizing telecommunications by enabling faster dialing and future digital services.
📍 United States
The Soviet Union launched the Vostok 1K No.1, an early prototype of the Vostok spacecraft design that would later carry Yuri Gagarin. Though the mission failed, it contributed to eventual spaceflight success.
📍 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Soviet Union
Sputnik 3, a Soviet research satellite, was launched into orbit to study Earth's magnetic field, cosmic rays, and radiation. It marked another milestone in the early space race following Sputniks 1 and 2.
📍 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Soviet Union
Ray Kroc opened the first franchised McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, launching what would become the largest and most recognizable fast-food chain in the world.
📍 Des Plaines, Illinois, United States
The Soviet Union and seven Eastern Bloc nations signed the Warsaw Pact, a collective defense treaty to counter NATO. It institutionalized the Cold War divide in Europe for over three decades.
📍 Warsaw, Poland
Though the formal decision would be announced May 17, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court reached a preliminary consensus on May 15 that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, paving the way for landmark civil rights progress.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The Nakba, meaning 'catastrophe' in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement of Palestinians that followed the creation of Israel. It remains a central point of identity and memory for Palestinians worldwide.
📍 Palestine
France opened the Lascaux Caves to the public, revealing some of the world’s most stunning Paleolithic cave art. The caves later closed to preserve the delicate paintings dating back over 17,000 years.
📍 Dordogne, France
The Cannes Film Festival held its first postwar edition, establishing itself as one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, celebrating global cinema and artistic achievement.
📍 Cannes, France
The United Nations launched UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to promote peace through global cooperation in education, science, and culture.
📍 Paris, France
The fourth and final battle of Monte Cassino concluded with Allied forces breaking through German defenses in Italy. The costly victory opened the road to Rome and was a turning point in the Italian Campaign of WWII.
📍 Monte Cassino, Italy
Amid World War I, over 1,000 women from 12 countries gathered in The Hague for the first International Congress of Women, advocating for peace, suffrage, and human rights — laying groundwork for global feminist movements.
📍 The Hague, Netherlands
The Eiffel Tower officially opened to the public during the Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris. Originally criticized, it became one of the most iconic landmarks in the world.
📍 Paris, France
News of gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill spread widely, marking the start of the California Gold Rush. It drew hundreds of thousands to the western U.S., transforming California’s economy and population.
📍 Coloma, California, United States
Paraguay formally declared independence from Spanish colonial rule following a peaceful revolution. Though it had asserted autonomy the previous day, May 15 became celebrated as the nation’s official Independence Day.
📍 Asunción, Paraguay
A posthumous retrial of Joan of Arc began, ordered by the Pope, ultimately declaring her innocent of heresy. Her inquisitors were condemned, and Joan was elevated as a martyr and national hero of France.
📍 Rouen, France