May 1931
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The following events occurred inMay 1931:
Friday, May 1, 1931[edit]
- TheEmpire State Building,the tallest building in the world, opened in New York City. At 11:30 a.m., PresidentHooverpressed a button in theWhite Housethat turned on the lights of all 102 stories.[1]
- The comedy filmThe MillionairestarringGeorge Arlisswas released.[2]
- Born:Maya Belenkaya,Soviet figure skater, inLeningrad
Saturday, May 2, 1931[edit]
- A mock air raid was conducted overToulon,France. Although the military maneuvers were called off after two hours due to bad weather, it sufficiently demonstrated to military experts that the important naval base would have been reduced to ruins by a fleet of 150 bombers had the attack been real.[3]
- Died:George Fisher Baker,91, American banker and philanthropist
Sunday, May 3, 1931[edit]
- In elections inSchaumburg-Lippe,theSocial Democratsremained the largest party with 44.6% of the vote, but theNazi Partycame in second with 26.9%.[4][5]
- Club FrançaisdefeatedSO Montpellier3–0 in theCoupe de France Final.
- Born:
- Edith Bruck,Hungarian-Italian writer, Holocaust survivor, inBudapest.
- Aldo Rossi,Italian architect and designer, inMilan(d. 2007)
Monday, May 4, 1931[edit]
- Mustafa Kemalwas re-elected President of Turkey by the National Assembly.[6]
- TheUnited States Treasuryestimated its budget deficit for 1930–31 at about $903 million.[7]
- TheJewish Party,a splinter faction of theUnion of Romanian Jews,was founded inRomania.
- Born:Richard Williams,jazz trumpeter, inGalveston, Texas(d. 1985)
Tuesday, May 5, 1931[edit]
- TheBattle of Evartstook place in the U.S. inHarlan County, Kentucky,as two county sheriff's office deputies, one miner and another man were killed in a gun battle between striking miners and strikebreakers. The battle was one of a series of violent coal mining-related incidents in the region known as theHarlan County War.[8][9][10]
Wednesday, May 6, 1931[edit]
- TheParis Colonial Expositionopened inFrance.[6]
- TheSoviet UnionandLithuaniarenewed theirnon-aggression pactthat had been signed in 1926.[11]
- Born:Willie Mays,American baseball player and inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame; inWestfield, Alabama(d. 2024)
Thursday, May 7, 1931[edit]
- A force of 325National Guardsmenwere dispatched toHarlan County, Kentucky,by that U.S. state's Governor, under orders to "protect those who behave themselves and take charge of those who do not."[12]
- Born:
- Teresa Brewer,American pop music singer; inToledo, Ohio(d. 2007)
- Siddika Kabir,Bangladeshi nutritionist, cookbook author and cooking show television host; inDhaka,Bengal province,British India(d. 2012)
Friday, May 8, 1931[edit]
- In theWeimar Republicof Germany, prosecution ofAdolf HitlerbyHans Littenfor complicity inmanslaughtercommitted by members of theSturmabteilungat theTanzpalast Eden( "Eden Dance Palace" ) in Berlin in 1930 was dismissed.[13]
- The Spanish provisional government decreed that religious instruction was no longer compulsory in schools.[14]
Saturday, May 9, 1931[edit]
- The thoroughbred racehorseMatewon thePreakness Stakes.[15]
- A huge building exposition, at 32 acres in size one of the largest ever held, opened inBerlin.[16]
- Died:Albert A. Michelson,78, American physicist and 1907 Nobel laureate
Sunday, May 10, 1931[edit]
- Rioting broke out between monarchists and republicans inMadrid.[17]
- Hermann Göringmet withBenito Mussoliniin Rome.[18]
- Born:Ichirō Nagai,Japanese anime voice actor, inIkeda, Osaka(d. 2014)
Monday, May 11, 1931[edit]
- TheCreditanstaltBank inViennafailed,[19]leading to a national currency crisis as investors began pulling their funds from Austrian banks and moving them to other countries.[20][21]
- Four Roman Catholic convents were burned during the night by anticlerical rioters in Madrid.[22]
- TheFritz Lang-directed filmMpremiered in Berlin.[23]
Tuesday, May 12, 1931[edit]
- TheCivil Guardwas called into Madrid to stop the burning of convents.[24]
Wednesday, May 13, 1931[edit]
- Paul Doumerwas electedPresident of Franceby the French National Assembly.[25]
- TheInternational Olympic Committeevoted to award the 1936 Summer Olympics toBerlin.[18]
- Born:
- Jim Jones,American cult leader who guided the mass suicide and murder of hundreds of his followers and their families inGuyanain 1978; inRandolph County, Indiana(d. 1978)
- Jiří Petr,agroscientist and university professor, inHradec Králové,Czechoslovakia (d. 2014)
Thursday, May 14, 1931[edit]
- TheBank of England's lending rate was cut to 2.5%, its lowest rate in 22 years.[6]
- InBologna,the conductorArturo Toscaniniwas assaulted by a Fascist youth for refusing to playGiovinezzaat the beginning of a concert devoted to the 75th birthday ofGiuseppe Martucci.Toscanini escaped into a car and returned to his hotel; the concert was postponed.[26]
- Born:Alvin Lucier,American composer, inNashua, New Hampshire(d. 2021)
- Died:David Belasco,77, American Broadway impresario, theater owner and playwright
Friday, May 15, 1931[edit]
- Pope Pius XIissued the encyclicalQuadragesimo anno.
- TheMahatma Gandhiannounced he would attend the secondRound Table Conferenceon Indian independence in London.[27]
- Born:
- Joseph A. Califano Jr.,U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from 1977 to 1979; inBrooklyn
- Ken Venturi,American professional golfer, 1964 U.S. Open winner; inSan Francisco(d. 2013)
Saturday, May 16, 1931[edit]
- Twenty Grandwon theKentucky Derby.[28]
- Albert Einsteindelivered a lecture atRhodes HouseinOxford,at which theblackboardwas saved.[29]
- Born:
- Jack Dodson,U.S. television actor known forThe Andy Griffith ShowandMayberry R.F.D.;inPittsburgh(d. 1994)
Sunday, May 17, 1931[edit]
- The Nazi Party wonLandtagelections inOldenburgwith 37.2% of the vote. It was the first time the Nazis became the largest party in a Landtag.[4][30]
- Born:Marshall Applewhite,American cult leader who led the 1997 mass suicide of his followers; inSpur, Texas(d. 1997)
- Died:Timothy Cole,78, American wood engraver
Monday, May 18, 1931[edit]
- TheUnited States Supreme CourtdecidedStromberg v. California,overturning a California court decision convicting a 19-year-old communist of breaking a state law against displaying a red flag.[31]
- The U.S. Supreme Court decidedBurnet v. Logan.
- Born:
- Don Martin,American cartoonist forMADmagazine; inPaterson, New Jersey(d. 2000)
- Robert Morse,American stage, film and TV actor, Tony Award and Emmy Award winner; inNewton, Massachusetts(d. 2022)
Tuesday, May 19, 1931[edit]
- The German cruiserDeutschlandwas launched fromKiel.It accidentally slid into the water ahead of schedule before PresidentHindenburghad a chance to smash a bottle of champagne against its prow.[32]
- Joseph Stalinannounced the secondfive-year planfor the Soviet economy.[6]
- Born:Éric Tappy,Swiss operatic tenor, inLausanne
- Died:Ralph Barton,39, American caricaturist, committed suicide
Wednesday, May 20, 1931[edit]
- A report byInternational Labour OfficeDirector GeneralAlbert Thomaswas publicized, estimating that 20 million people were out of work around the world, double the numbers of one year ago.[33]
- Fascist authorities confiscated the passport ofArturo Toscaniniand essentially placed him underhouse arrest.[34]
- Born:Ken Boyer,U.S. baseball player, 1964 National League MVP; inLiberty, Missouri(d. 1982)
Thursday, May 21, 1931[edit]
- Peder KolstadbecamePrime Minister of Norway.
- The horror-fantasy radio seriesThe Witch's Talefirst aired on New York'sWOR.[35]
- Died:Charlie Poole,39, American country musician, died of a heart attack
Friday, May 22, 1931[edit]
- The Spanish provisional government granted equal freedom to all religions.[36]
Saturday, May 23, 1931[edit]
- Commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the encyclicalRerum novarum,Pope Pius XIpublished a lengthy message inL'Osservatore Romanocalling the modern business world cruel and corrupting of the working class.[37]
- TheUniversity of OxfordawardedAlbert Einsteinan honorary doctorate.[38]
- TheWhipsnade Zooopened inBedfordshire,England.[6]
- Born:
- Barbara Barrie,U.S. TV and film actress; inChicago
- Patience Cleveland,U.S. actress; in New York City (d. 2004)
- Died:Aldred Scott Warthin,64, American pathologist
Sunday, May 24, 1931[edit]
- InSão Paulo,composerHeitor Villa-Lobospresented the first of his Civic Exhortations, performed by 12,000 voices.[24]
- TheAlfa Romeoworks team pairing ofGiuseppe CampariandTazio Nuvolariwon theItalian Grand Prix.
- TheBaltimore and Ohio Railroad(B&O) introduced the first completelyair-conditionedpassenger train, theColumbian,running between Washington and New York.[39]
- Born:
- Clint Ballard Jr.,U.S. songwriter, inEl Paso, Texas(d. 2008)
- Ricky Romero,U.S. professional wrestler, inSan Bernardino, California(d. 2006)
Monday, May 25, 1931[edit]
- The Royal British Legionvoted to refer to November 11 as "Remembrance Day"rather than" Armistice Day ".[40]
- Born:Georgy Grechko,Soviet cosmonaut, inLeningrad(d. 2017)
Tuesday, May 26, 1931[edit]
- Serge Koussevitzkysent a telegram to the management ofLa ScalainMilan,explaining he would postpone his scheduled June performance there until the Italian government apologized toArturo Toscaniniover the events at Bologna.[41][42]
Wednesday, May 27, 1931[edit]
- InAugsburg,Germany, ProfessorAuguste Piccardand physicist Paul Kipfer took off in an airtight ball attached to a hydrogen balloon in an attempt to be the first persons to reach the Earth'sstratosphere.They attained an altitude of 15,606 m (51,200 ft) and then landed in theAustrian Alpsafter more than eighteen hours in the air.[43][44][45]
- Between 2,000 and 3,000 Japanese railway workers went on strike in protest against proposed salary reductions.[46]
Thursday, May 28, 1931[edit]
- Three people were killed in fighting between Communists and Nazis inHagen.[47]
- Born:
- Carroll Baker,U.S. actress, inJohnstown, Pennsylvania
- Eric Von Schmidt,folk and blues musician, inBridgeport, Connecticut(d. 2007)
- Peter Westergaard,composer and music theorist, inChampaign, Illinois(d. 2019)[24]
- Gordon Willis,cinematographer, inAstoria, New York(d. 2014)
Friday, May 29, 1931[edit]
- Texas Guinanand her ensemble of entertainers were refused entry into France for failing to get a work permit before departing New York. "Hell! What have I done to be treated like this?" Guinan fumed. "I entertained at the front during the war on a permit signed byPresident Wilson.Why ain't I good enough to come here and sing now? "[48]
- Died:Michele Schirru,31, Italian-born American anarchist, was executed by a firing squad after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Benito Mussolini.[49]
Saturday, May 30, 1931[edit]
- The Fascist government of Italy suspended theAzione Cattolica.[6]
- Louis Schneiderwon theIndianapolis 500.
- William "Red" Hillwent overNiagara Fallsin a barrel for the third time. After going over, the barrel was stuck in a whirlpool for almost three hours until it floated free and Hill could be rescued by his son, William Jr.[50]
- Born:John O'Brien,Irish Catholic priest, inKilrush(d. 2008)
Sunday, May 31, 1931[edit]
- A crowd of 150,000 members of the German monarchist organizationDer Stahlhelmhailed formerCrown Prince Wilhelmduring their twelfth annual convention inBreslau.[51]
- Born:
- John Robert Schrieffer,U.S. physicist and Nobel laureate; inOak Park, Illinois(d. 2019)
- Shirley Verrett,American mezzo-soprano opera singer; inNew Orleans(d. 2010)
References[edit]
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- ^Aliperti, Cliff (August 14, 2012)."Smart Money (1931) Starring Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney".Immortal Ephemera.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Taylor, Edmond (May 3, 1931). "City of Toulon in 'Ruins' After Great 'Air Raid'".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 27.
- ^abDavidson, Eugene (1997).The Making of Adolf Hitler: The Birth and Rise of Nazism.University of Missouri Press. p. 295.ISBN978-0-8262-1117-0.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 3. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^abcdefMercer, Derrik (1989).Chronicle of the 20th Century.London: Chronicle Communications Ltd. p. 403.ISBN978-0-582-03919-3.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 4. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"Remembering Bloody Harlan".Parallel Narratives.13 March 2011.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"Special Deputy Sheriff Jim Daniels, Harlan County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky".The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc.Retrieved7 May2022.
- ^"Special Deputy Sheriff Arthur Lee, Harlan County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky".The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc.Retrieved7 May2022.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 6. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"Flags, Cheers Greet Troops at Mine Town".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 8, 1931. p. 10.
- ^Hett, Benjamin Carter (2007). "Hans Litten and the Politics of Criminal Law in the Weimar Republic". In Dubber, Markus Dirk; Farmer, Lindsay (eds.).Modern Histories of Crime and Punishment.Stanford University Press.
- ^Allen, Jay (May 9, 1931). "Spain Decrees Free Education for Children".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 4.
- ^"Mate Wins Preakness; Twenty Grand 2D".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 10, 1931. p. Part 2, p. 1.
- ^"Building Exposition Opened in Germany; U. S. is Represented".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 10, 1931. p. 6.
- ^Allen, Jay (May 11, 1931). "Madrid Swept by Riots; Use Guns and Clubs".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^ab"L'Allemagne en 1931".Krononations.Archived fromthe originalon May 22, 2015.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Kindleberger, Charles P. (1995).The World Economy and National Finance in Historical Perspective.University of Michigan Press. p. 193.ISBN978-0-472-10642-4.
- ^Schubert, Aurel (1991).The Credit-Anstalt Crisis of 1931.Cambridge University Press. pp. 87–88.ISBN978-0-521-36537-6.
- ^Paxton, Robert; Hessler, Julie (2012).Europe in the Twentieth Century, Fifth Edition.Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. p. 265.ISBN978-1-133-17112-6.
- ^Allen, Jay (May 12, 1931). "Madrid Mobs Fire Churches; Nuns in Flight".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 11. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^abc"1931".Music And History.Archived fromthe originalon August 28, 2012.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"French President".The Barrier Miner.Broken Hill. May 14, 1931. p. 1.
- ^Gilliland, Norman (2002).Grace Notes for a Year: Stories of Hope, Humor & Hubris from the World of Classical Music.NEMO Productions. p.135.ISBN978-0-9715093-0-6.
- ^Shirer, William(May 16, 1931). "Gandhi Agrees to Attend New Parley on India".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 7.
- ^Woodruff, Harvey (May 17, 1931). "20-Grand Wins Record Derby".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^Einstein, Albert(1931)."Blackboard Used by Albert Einstein, Oxford, May 16, 1931".MHS Collection Database Search.Oxford:Museum of the History of Science.Retrieved1 November2015.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 17. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"Supreme Court Rules Red Flag is Not Sedition".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 19, 1931. p. 8.
- ^Schultz, Sigrid(May 20, 1931). "German Warship Slides into Sea Ahead of Time".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 12.
- ^"World's Jobless Total 20,000,000; Doubles in Year".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 21, 1931. p. 4.
- ^"Hold Toscanini 'Prisoner'; Italy Seizes Passport".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 22, 1931. p. 1.
- ^"The Witch's Tale".Radio Nouspace.Archived fromthe originalon May 22, 2015.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Allen, Jay (May 23, 1931). "Spain Decrees Freedom to All Religious Creeds".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 3.
- ^Darrah, David (May 24, 1931). "Pope Assails Business World as Hard, Cruel".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 23. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Stover, John F. (1987).History of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.Purdue Research Station. p. 287.ISBN978-1-55753-066-0.
- ^"British Vets Vote to Name Nov. 11 Remembrance Day".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 26, 1931. p. 1.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 26. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^"Koussevitsky Supports Toscanini, Says Politics and Art Don't Mix, Assails Fascism".San Bernardino County Sun.San Bernardino, California. May 27, 1931. p. 4.
- ^"Pair Takes Off in Balloon on Nine Mile Climb".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 27, 1931. p. 1.
- ^Davis, Jeffrey R.; Johnson, Robert; Stepanek, Jan; Fogarty, Jennifer A. (2008).Fundamentals of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Edition.Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 17.ISBN978-0-7817-7466-6.
- ^Schultz, Sigrid(May 29, 1931). "Fly 10 Miles High; Tell Story".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^"Japanese Rail Strike Begins; 210,000 Fight Cut in Wages".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 27, 1931. p. 11.
- ^"Tageseinträge für 28. Mai 1931".chroniknet.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Swenson, Egbert (May 30, 1931). "Guinan, Held in French 'Ellis Island,' Rages".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 2.
- ^Darrah, David (May 29, 1931). "Italy Executes American; Shot by Firing Squad".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 1.
- ^"'Shoots' Niagara's Rapids in Barrel; Rescued by Son, 17 ".Chicago Daily Tribune.May 31, 1931. p. 1.
- ^Schultz, Sigrid(June 1, 1931). "'Goosestep' for Heir to Fallen German Throne ".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. 4.