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–
