Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson(Confederate Army general)–
Joan Crawford(actress)–
Shel Silverstein(poet, author)–
David Riesman(author)–
Events
Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands and named them Las Tortugas after the numerous sea turtles there –
Louis XVI became King of France –
Golden spike linked Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads at Promontory Point, Utah, creating the first continental railroad –
Victoria Woodhull became the first woman nominated for President of the United States –
The Centennial Exhibition opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at which Caroline Shawk Brooks displayed her sculpture of a woman’s face made out of butter. The rendering, Dreaming Iolanthe, sparked a movement of serious artistic butter sculpting in America. Butter sculptures remain a popular attraction at state fairs –
The Society of American Magicians was founded –
Mother’s Day first celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia. –
J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation –
First submerged voyage around world completed by submarine USS Triton –
Nelson Mandela sworn in as first black president of South Africa –
An earthquake near Ardekul in northeastern Iran killed at least 2,400 people –
FBI agent Robert Hanssen was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole for selling American secrets to Moscow –
Sonic boom possibly due to meteor, Virginia Beach, Virginia –
Weather
Bloomington-Normal and Aurora, Illinois, established a state record for the month of May with morning lows of 21 degrees F –
