After 25 seasons, *The Oprah Winfrey Show* aired its final episode, closing one of the most influential daytime talk shows in television history, known for its cultural impact and social influence.
📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States
The African Union was founded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, officially replacing the Organization of African Unity. The AU aimed to promote greater unity, peace, and economic development across Africa.
📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fans around the world began celebrating Towel Day in tribute to author Douglas Adams, two weeks after his passing. The day honors his iconic sci-fi series *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*.
📍 Global
Founded by the American Tortoise Rescue, World Turtle Day raises awareness about the protection of turtles and tortoises worldwide and promotes conservation efforts in diverse habitats.
📍 Global
Following South Africa's first multiracial elections, Nelson Mandela was elected as President of the Constituent Assembly, beginning the drafting of a new democratic constitution for the post-apartheid nation.
📍 Cape Town, South Africa
American boxer Oscar De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics, launching a celebrated professional career and becoming one of boxing’s most recognizable figures globally.
📍 Barcelona, Spain
Acclaimed actor Sir Ian McKellen publicly came out as gay during a BBC radio interview, becoming one of the first prominent UK celebrities to do so and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights worldwide.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Millions of Americans formed a human chain across the country in a charitable event called Hands Across America to raise awareness and funds to fight poverty and homelessness.
📍 United States (Nationwide)
American Airlines Flight 191 crashed shortly after takeoff from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, killing all 271 people on board and 2 on the ground. It remains the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history.
📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States
NASA’s Voyager 1 captured the first clear image of Amalthea, one of Jupiter’s inner moons, contributing valuable data to planetary science and expanding understanding of the Jovian system.
📍 Jovian System (NASA Voyager Mission)
George Lucas’s *Star Wars* premiered in U.S. theaters, launching one of the most successful and influential franchises in cinema history and revolutionizing visual effects and merchandising in film.
📍 Los Angeles, California, United States
Jordan and Egypt signed a mutual defense pact in response to growing tensions with Israel. The agreement played a critical role in the lead-up to the Six-Day War in the Middle East.
📍 Cairo, Egypt
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was founded in Addis Ababa with 32 African nations signing the charter. This day is now celebrated annually as Africa Day, promoting unity and development across the continent.
📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
President John F. Kennedy addressed Congress, committing the United States to landing a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. This speech officially launched the Apollo space program.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay launched the final stage of their historic climb of Mount Everest, which they would summit on May 29, achieving one of humanity’s greatest mountaineering feats.
📍 Mount Everest, Nepal
The Philippines carried out its first execution by electric chair under U.S. colonial rule, symbolizing modernization of capital punishment but also raising human rights debates that persist today.
📍 Manila, Philippines
Oscar Wilde’s celebrated satirical play *The Importance of Being Earnest* opened on Broadway, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest English-language dramatists.
📍 New York City, United States
Christopher Latham Sholes gave the first public demonstration of his typewriter, marking a turning point in office technology and communication. His QWERTY layout remains standard on keyboards today.
📍 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his influential address 'The American Scholar' to Harvard’s Phi Beta Kappa Society, calling for intellectual independence and shaping American Transcendentalist philosophy.
📍 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
The May Revolution in Buenos Aires led to the formation of the first independent Argentine government, breaking ties with Spanish colonial rule. This day is commemorated as Argentina’s national day.
📍 Buenos Aires, Argentina