Today in History: May 31, the Johnstown Flood

By The Associated PressMay 31, 2022 GMT

On May 31, 1889, some 2,200 people in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, perished when the South Fork Dam collapsed, sending 20 million tons of water rushing through the town.

Today in History: May 30, Joan of Arc burned at the stake

By The Associated PressMay 30, 2022 GMT

On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc, condemned as a heretic, was burned at the stake in Rouen (roo-AHN’), France.

Today in History: May 29, Reagan and Gorbachev meet

By The Associated PressMay 29, 2022 GMT

On May 29, 1988, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev opened their historic summit in Moscow.

Today in History: May 28, Dionne quintuplets are born

By The Associated PressMay 28, 2022 GMT

In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets — Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie and Yvonne — were born to Elzire Dionne at the family farm in Ontario, Canada.

Today in History: May 27, Queen Mary’s maiden voyage

Today in History: May 27, Queen Mary’s maiden voyage

By The Associated PressMay 27, 2022 GMT

On May 27, 1936, the Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary left England on its maiden voyage to New York.

Today in History: May 26, ABM treaty signed

By The Associated PressMay 26, 2022 GMT

On May 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

Today in History: May 25, death of George Floyd

By The Associated PressMay 25, 2022 GMT

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and pleading that he couldn’t breathe; Floyd’s death, captured on video by a bystander, would lead to worldwide protests, some of which turned violent, and a reexamination of racism and policing in the U.S.

Today in History: May 24, first major league baseball night game

By The Associated PressMay 24, 2022 GMT

On May 24, 1935, the first major league baseball game to be played at night took place at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field as the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1.

Today in History: May 23, Bonnie and Clyde shot to death

By The Associated PressMay 23, 2022 GMT

On May 23, 1934, bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were shot to death in a police ambush in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

Today in History: May 22, Johnson’s ‘Great Society’

Today in History: May 22, Johnson’s ‘Great Society’

By The Associated PressMay 22, 2022 GMT

On May 22, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking at the University of Michigan, outlined the goals of his “Great Society,” saying that it “rests on abundance and liberty for all” and “demands an end to poverty and racial injustice.”