Discover what happened on May 31 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

May 31

Discover what happened on May 31 with HISTORY&#8217;s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

What Happened on May 31 | History.com

Home

Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite Shows

HISTORY

https://dev-assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2023/03/logo.svg

History

1859

1921

1977

1902

1996

1962

1929

1941

1988

1819

1930

1889

2005

1964

1916

Great Britain

Naval History

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I

Crime

Film

The Holocaust, during which some 6 million Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and other people were systematically exterminated by Nazi Germany during World War II, was one of the most horrific war crimes ever committed.

Holocaust

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.&nbsp;

London

The U.S. political system, including American elections, a wide array of political leaders and various political parties, are a colorful part of American history.

US Politics

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature, and Film History

<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> team. Articles with the “<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> Editors” byline have been written or edited by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

History.com Editors

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

World War II

Inventions from the telephone to the Model T and the computer have defined human history, and inventors like Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney and Alexander Graham Bell have transformed our society.

Inventions & Science

British History

Cold War

February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history, including the civil rights movement and their artistic, cultural and political achievements.

Black History

The Middle East is a large and diverse region composed of several countries and cultures in north Africa and western Asia. Its complex history includes the Persian Gulf War, the Iran Hostage Crisis, the Yom Kippur War, Zionism and more.

Middle East

Natural disasters and the environment, such as climate change, the San Francisco Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Galveston Hurricane, the Krakatoa eruption and others, have profoundly shaped human history.

Natural Disasters & Environment

Africa is a large and diverse continent that stretches from South Africa northward to the Mediterranean Sea. Its rich history, emerging political power and dramatic landscapes have fascinated people for generations. Updated !

This Day In History: May 31

Big Ben rings out over London for the first time

Also on This Day in History May | 31

Tulsa Race Massacre begins

The BBC bans the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen”

The Boer War ends in South Africa

Benjamin Netanyahu elected prime minister of Israel

Architect of the Holocaust hanged in Israel

Ford Motor Company signs agreement with Soviet Union

Germans conquer Crete

Three U.S. presidents close chapters on the Cold War

Poet Walt Whitman, author of “Leaves of Grass,” is born

Actor and director Clint Eastwood is born

Over 2,000 die in the Johnstown Flood

Identity of “Deep Throat,” source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal, is revealed

Convicted murderer Charles Schmid brags about his crimes

Battle of Jutland, greatest naval battle of WWI, begins

Also on This Day in History May | 31

Wake Up to This Day in History