This Week in History: Week 18

April 29 – May 5

Over 105 historical moments took place during these 7 days of the calendar year. Explore our curated digest of the most world-changing events, iconic births, and notable deaths.

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Major Events (April 29 – May 5)(20)

1947 – 2021

1947⚡ Event

Sicilian separatist attack on May Day marchers

Sicilian separatist Salvatore Giuliano and his gang fired into a crowd of May Day marchers near Piana degli Albanesi, Sicily. The attack killed 11 and wounded 33.

politicslaw

1950⚡ Event

Gwendolyn Brooks wins Pulitzer Prize

Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Her work was recognized for its significant contribution to literature.

literaturearts

1974⚡ Event

Perón expels Montoneros

Argentine president Juan Perón expelled the Montoneros from a demonstration in Buenos Aires. This action forced the group to become a clandestine organization.

politics

1991⚡ Event

Henderson and Ryan set baseball records

Rickey Henderson broke the record for stolen bases in Major League Baseball. On the same night, Nolan Ryan broke his own record for no-hitters.

sports

1994⚡ Event

Riverdance premiere

Riverdance was performed for the first time as the interval act for the Eurovision Song Contest on April 30, 1994.

artsentertainmentmusic

1995⚡ Event

Collision in Korea

Ric Flair and Antonio Inoki competed in the main event of Collision in Korea. The event drew an estimated 165,000 spectators, the highest attendance for a professional wrestling event.

sportsentertainment

1997⚡ Event

Chemical Weapons Convention Enters into Force

The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. This was ratified by 87 countries.

lawwar

2000⚡ Event

Faustina Kowalska canonized

Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun whose apparitions of Jesus inspired the Divine Mercy devotion, was canonized by Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2000.

religion

2004⚡ Event

Abu Ghraib prison abuses revealed

The New Yorker published an article detailing accounts of torture and abuse by American military personnel of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison on April 30, 2004.

lawwar

2006⚡ Event

Cyclone Mala

Cyclone Mala made landfall near Thandwe, Myanmar, causing 37 deaths. The storm brought significant destruction to the region.

disaster

2008⚡ Event

Chaitén volcano eruption

The Chaitén volcano in Chile began to erupt on May 2, 2008. This was its first eruption since approximately 1640.

disasterscience

2009⚡ Event

Attack on Dutch royal family

A Dutch man drove his car at high speed into a parade in an attempt to kill the Dutch royal family on April 30, 2009.

politicsdisaster

2011⚡ Event

Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

Prince William and Catherine Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey in London. The ceremony was watched by millions worldwide.

entertainment

2011⚡ Event

Killing of Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011. The operation concluded a decade-long manhunt.

warpolitics

2011⚡ Event

Canadian federal election

The Conservative Party of Canada won a majority government in the federal election held on May 2, 2011. This was their first majority government since 2006.

politics

2014⚡ Event

Odesa clashes

Forty-eight people were killed during a confrontation between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian unity protesters in Odesa, Ukraine on May 2, 2014. This event was part of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

warpolitics

2014⚡ Event

Badakhshan mudslides

At least 350 people were killed by two mudslides in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on May 2, 2014.

disaster

2015⚡ Event

Bali Nine Executions

The ringleaders of the Bali Nine were executed in Indonesia for drug smuggling. They were caught attempting to smuggle heroin to Australia.

law

2016⚡ Event

Fort McMurray wildfire begins

A wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, forcing the evacuation of nearly 88,000 people. It became the costliest disaster in Canadian history.

disaster

2021⚡ Event