Calendar icon showing May 23 for Today in History post

May 23 in History: Mickey Mouse Talks, Java Launches, and Bonnie & Clyde Are Killed

Scott Winters May 23, 2026 0 Comments

Discover what happened on May 23 in history, along with notable events that shaped entertainment, technology, sports, and American culture.

What Happened on May 23 in History?

Important events on this day include Mickey Mouse speaking for the first time in a cartoon, the release of the Java programming language, and the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde.

MAY 23 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1785 – Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter that he had invented bifocals.

1788 – South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify U.S. Constitution.

1827 – The first nursery school in the U.S. was established in New York, NY.

1846 – Arabella Mansfield was born. She was the first woman in the U.S. to pass the bar exam, though she never used her law degree.

1876 – Boston’s Joe Borden pitched the very first no-hitter in the history of the National League.

1879 – The first U.S. veterinary school was established by Iowa State University.

1922 – Walt Disney incorporated his first movie company, LaughoGram Films.

1922 – “Daylight Saving Time” was debated in the first debate ever to be heard on radio in Washington, DC.

1929 – The first cartoon with Mickey Mouse talking was released. It was called “The Karnival Kid”.

1934 – In Bienville Parish, LA, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by Texas Rangers. The bank robbers were riding in a stolen Ford Deluxe.

1941 – Joe Louis beat Buddy Baer in the seventh round to retain the heavyweight crown.

1962 – The National Basketball Association agreed to transfer the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, CA. The team became the San Francisco Warriors (and later the Golden State Warriors).

1973 – Clive Davis was fired as president of Columbia Records for allegedly using company funds for his personal use. They included $53,700 for work on his apartment and $20,000 for his son’s bar mitzvah.

1984 – The movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” premiered in theaters.

1984 – The Surgeon General warned that smokers can inflict lung damage on non-smokers who inhale second-hand smoke.

1995 – The first version of the Java programming language was released.

1995 – The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, was demolished.

1997 – The movie “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” premiered in theaters.

1999 – Gerry Bloch, at age 81, became the oldest climber to scale El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He broke his own record that he set in 1986 when he was 68 years old.

2005 – Tom Cruise publicly declared his love for Katie Holmes on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” by jumping up and down on Winfrey’s couch during the show. Cruise and Holmes married in 2006 and divorced in 2012.

2010 – Bret Michaels won Season 3 of TV’s “The Celebrity Apprentice”.

2012 – Phillip Phillips won the 11th season of TV’s “American Idol”.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MAY 23:

Barbara Barrie – 95 years old (1931) – Actress

Rod Thorn – 85 years old (1941) – Basketball player, coach, and executive

Daniel DiNardo – 77 years old (1949) – Cardinal

Buck Showalter – 70 years old (1956) – Baseball player, coach, and manager

Mitch Albom – 68 years old (1958) – Journalist, author, and screenwriter

Drew Carey – 68 years old (1958) – Actor, game show host, and entrepreneur

Lea DeLaria – 68 years old (1958) – Actress and singer

Linden Ashby – 66 years old (1960) – Actor

Karen Duffy – 64 years old (1962) – Actress

Melissa McBride – 61 years old (1965) – Actress

H. Jon Benjamin – 60 years old (1966) – Actor, comedian, writer, and producer

Guinevere Turner – 58 years old (1968) – Actress and screenwriter

Bryan Herta – 56 years old (1970) – Race car driver and businessman, co-founded Bryan Herta Autosport

Maxwell – 53 years old (1973) – Singer-songwriter and producer

Jewel – 52 years old (1974) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, actress, and poet

Scott Raynor – 48 years old (1978) – Drummer

Chris Gethard – 46 years old (1980) – Actor, comedian and writer

Tim Robinson – 45 years old (1981) – Comedian, actor, and screenwriter

Ryan Coogler – 40 years old (1986) – Film director and screenwriter

Morgan Pressel – 38 years old (1988) – Golfer

Aaron Donald – 35 years old (1991) – Football player

Coy Craft – 29 years old (1997) – Footballer

Luca de la Torre – 28 years old (1998) – Soccer player

James Charles – 27 years old (1999) – Internet personality

Trinidad Cardona – 27 years old (1999) – Singer and songwriter

Sandro Mamukelashvili – 27 years old (1999) – Georgian-American basketball player

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MAY 23:

World Turtle Day: Get in touch with the American Tortoise Rescue to see how you can do your part to protect and preserve the wonderful turtles and tortoises in the world.
National Lucky Penny Day: Set up a “penny hunt” for lucky pennies, and see how many you can find. Make it a competition with friends or family and you might even make some money.
National Taffy Day: Savor the sweet joy of chewy confections, a delightful blend of sugar and flavor that captivates your taste buds.
Dementia Action Week: Dementia Action Week is a key time of action. It’s time to step up your game on behalf of those who live with the disease. This event means different things while being significant to many different people. But one thing about it is the same -- it should bring us all...
National Safe Sun Week: National Safe Sun Week is a special time dedicated to educating people about the dangers of too much sun and how to stay safe. Held in the last week of May, right before the Memorial Day holiday, it marks the beginning of summer. This is when folks often start spending...
National Drinking with Chickens Day: National Drinking with Chickens Day is as quirky as it sounds, and that is exactly the point. It invites people to grab a refreshing drink, step outside, and spend a little unhurried time with backyard chickens or, at the very least, chicken-themed charm. The vibe is part pastoral, part playful...
National Children’s Gardening Week: Did you know that children who spend time in gardens often grow up to be more environmentally conscious? National Children’s Gardening Week aims to inspire a love for gardening among kids. Held annually in the late spring, this event is a great opportunity to encourage children to explore nature! How to...
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula: Imagine enduring a childbirth injury that leaves you incontinent, isolated, and in constant discomfort. This is the harsh reality for many women suffering from obstetric fistula—a hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without timely medical intervention. Such injuries not only cause physical...
Medical Coder Day: Medical Coder Day puts the spotlight on a group that rarely meets patients face-to-face, yet touches nearly every part of modern healthcare. Medical coders take what clinicians document, symptoms, diagnoses, procedures, supplies, test results, and turn it into standardized codes used for billing, reporting, quality tracking, and research. It sounds...
National Italian Beef Day: Have you ever bitten into a sandwich so full of flavor it made you stop and smile? That’s the magic of Italian beef. This mouthwatering classic layers thin slices of seasoned roast beef inside a chewy roll, soaked with rich gravy and topped with bold peppers. It’s messy in the best...
Foster Care Fortnight: Foster Care Fortnight, an annual event in the UK, typically happens in the first two weeks of May. This initiative is driven by The Fostering Network, a leading charity that promotes foster care awareness and recruitment. The event raises awareness about the growing need for foster carers and their vital...
British Sandwich Week: British Sandwich Week is a lively celebration of one of Britain's most iconic culinary creations: the sandwich. This week, sandwich lovers from all walks of life come together to indulge in the art of sandwich making and tasting. Whether it’s a classic ham and cheese or a gourmet concoction with...
International Heritage Breeds Week: Support the survival of classic livestock breeds like Oberhasli goats, Wiltshire Wild Horn sheep, and Gloucester Old Spot pigs during Heritage Breeds Week.
Epilepsy Awareness Week: Epilepsy Awareness Week is a significant event held annually to highlight epilepsy's impact on millions worldwide. Taking place in May, this week-long event aims to inform and engage people in understanding this neurological condition. The goal is to dispel myths and encourage conversations about epilepsy. The purpose of epilepsy is to...
Be Nice to Nettles Week: Be Nice to Nettles Week is a vibrant annual event that shines a spotlight on the humble nettle plant. Celebrated in mid-May, this period encourages us to appreciate the ecological and health benefits of nettles. How to Celebrate Be Nice to Nettles Week Here are five quirky and playful ways to dive...
Tracky Dack Day: Tracky Dack Day is a funny name for a serious cause. This annual event, run by TLC for Kids, encourages people to wear their favorite track pants (aka 'tracky dacks'!) to support children in hospitals! The name brings a smile, but the mission is profound. It raises awareness and funds...