Discover what happened on May 25 in history, along with notable events that shaped space exploration, entertainment, technology, and social change.
What Happened on May 25 in History?
Important events on this day include President John F. Kennedy’s promise to land a man on the Moon, the release of Star Wars, and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
MAY 25 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1787 – The Constitutional convention opened in Philadelphia, PA, with George Washington presiding.
1822 – The first steam powered boat arrived in Detroit, MI. The “Superior” carried 94 passengers from Buffalo, NY.
1844 – The gasoline engine was patented by Stuart Perry.
1844 – The first telegraphed news dispatch, sent from Washington, DC, to Baltimore, MD, appeared in the Baltimore “Patriot.”
1895 – James P. Lee first published “Golf in America — A Practical Manual.”
1927 – Ford Motor Company announced that the Model A would replace the Model T.
1927 – The “Movietone News” was shown for the first time at the Sam Harris Theatre in New York, NY.
1935 – Babe Ruth, then playing for the Boston Braves, hits the 714th and final home run of his career. A record that would stand for 39 years.
1935 – In Ann Arbor, MI, at a Big Ten Conference Track and Field Championship, Jesse Owens tied the world record for the 100-yard dash. He ran it in 9.4 seconds. He also broke three other world track records.
1953 – The first public television station in the U.S. officially began broadcasting as KUHT from the campus of the University of Houston.
1953 – In Nevada, the first atomic cannon was fired.
1961 – John F. Kennedy promised to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade, which did happen.
1965 – Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston just one minute and 42 seconds into their heavyweight championship fight at Lewiston, ME.
1968 – The Gateway Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, MO, was dedicated.
1969 – The X-rated film “Midnight Cowboy”, starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, opened in theaters.
1970 – Boeing Computer Services was founded.
1977 – The movie “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” opened and became the largest grossing film to date.
1978 – The first bomb of a series of bombings orchestrated by the Unabomber detonated at Northwestern University resulting in minor injuries.
1979 – An American Airlines DC-10 crashed during takeoff at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, killing all 258 passengers and 13 crew on board and two people on the ground. It is the deadliest aviation accident to have occurred in the United States.
1981 – Daredevil Daniel Goodwin scaled the Sears Tower, in Chicago, IL. It took him 7 1/2 hours. He was dressed as Spiderman and used suction cups.
1983 – Michael Jackson stole the show with his moonwalk in the NBC television special “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. Other stars of the broadcast include Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, The Four Tops, The Temptations and Smokey Robinson reuniting with The Miracles.
1983 – The movie “The Return of the Jedi” opened nationwide. It set a new record in opening day box office sales, selling $6,219,629 worth of tickets.
1985 – Bangladesh was hit with a hurricane and tidal wave that killed more than 11,000 people.
1986 – Approximately 7 million people participated in “Hands Across America” to make a human chain across the U.S. to raise money for the hungry and homeless. The event raised over $15 million.
1988 – Debbie Gibson’s song “Foolish Beat” hit #1 on the charts, making her the youngest artist (at age 17) to write, sing and produce a #1 hit.
1992 – Jay Leno debuted as the new permanent host of NBC’s “Tonight Show”.
1992 – In Manilla, Pepsi announced that “349” was the winning number for a $37,000 grand prize in its “Number Fever” contest. Unfortunately, due to what Pepsi called a computer software glitch, 800,000 people had bottle caps with that winning number. In this public relations nightmare, violence erupted as angry consumers attacked bottling plants and delivery trucks.
1997 – Senator Strom Thurmond became the longest-serving senator in U.S. history. He served 41 years and 10 months.
2000 – The Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Inc. signed a long-term deal that ended a dispute over the airing policies of Time Warner. Time Warner had blacked out Disney programs for a 39 hour period the previous month due to the lack of an agreement.
2001 – Erik Weihenmayer, 32, of Golden, CO, became the first blind climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
2001 – Sherman Bull, 64, of New Canaan, CT, became the oldest climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
2001 – The movie “Pearl Harbor”, starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Colm Feore, and Alec Baldwin, premiered in theaters. The film presented a heavily fictionalized version of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
2005 – Carrie Underwood won TV’s “American Idol”.
2006 – In Houston, TX, former Enron Corp. chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of conspiracy and fraud for the downfall of Enron.
2007 – The movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” opened in theaters, with Keith Richards as the father of Johnny Depp’s character, Captain Jack Sparrow.
2007 – ABC announced that Rosie O’Donnell had been released from her contract and would not be returning to TV’s “The View”.
2008 – NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander landed in the arctic plains (Green Valley region) of Mars.
2010 – Nicole Scherzinger won “Dancing With the Stars”, beating skater Evan Lysacek and sportscaster Erin Andrews in the finale.
2011 – Oprah Winfrey aired her last show, ending her 25 year run of TV’s “The Oprah Winfrey Show”.
2011 – In Tucson, AZ, Jared Lee Loughner, charged with various federal and state crimes for shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and murdering six others on January 8th, was found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.
2011 – At the age of 16, Scotty McCreery won the tenth season of TV’s “American Idol”, the youngest man ever to do so.
2012 – The SpaceX Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with the International Space Station.
2020 – In Minneapolis, MN, George Floyd was killed after a police officer kneeled on his neck for an extended period of time, setting off worldwide protests.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MAY 25:
Irwin Winkler – 95 years old (1931) – Director and producer
Jessi Colter – 83 years old (1943) – Singer-songwriter and pianist
Leslie Uggams – 83 years old (1943) – Actress and singer
Robert MacPherson – 82 years old (1944) – Mathematician and academic
Frank Oz – 82 years old (1944) – English-born American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor
Karen Valentine – 79 years old (1947) – Actress
Jamaica Kincaid – 77 years old (1949) – Antiguan-American novelist, short story writer, and essayist
Bob Gale – 75 years old (1951) – Director, producer, and screenwriter
Jeffrey Bewkes – 74 years old (1952) – Businessman
Nick Fotiu – 74 years old (1952) – Ice hockey player and coach
Al Sarrantonio – 74 years old (1952) – Author and publisher
Gordon H. Smith – 74 years old (1952) – Businessman and politician
Eve Ensler – 73 years old (1953) – Playwright and producer
Stan Sakai – 73 years old (1953) – Japanese-American author and illustrator
Larry Hogan – 70 years old (1956) – Politician, 62nd Governor of Maryland
David P. Sartor – 70 years old (1956) – Composer and conductor
Edward Lee – 69 years old (1957) – Author
Dorothy Straight – 68 years old (1958) – Children's author
Amy Klobuchar – 66 years old (1960) – Lawyer and politician
Mike Myers – 63 years old (1963) – Canadian-American actor, singer, producer, and screenwriter
David Shaw – 62 years old (1964) – Canadian-American ice hockey player
Kendall Gill – 58 years old (1968) – Basketball player, boxer, and sportscaster
Stacy London – 57 years old (1969) – Journalist and author
Jamie Kennedy – 56 years old (1970) – Actor, producer, and screenwriter
Octavia Spencer – 56 years old (1970) – Actress and author
Daz Dillinger – 53 years old (1973) – Rapper and producer
Molly Sims – 53 years old (1973) – Model and actress
Frank Klepacki – 52 years old (1974) – Drummer and composer
Miguel Tejada – 52 years old (1974) – Dominican-American baseball player
Ethan Suplee – 50 years old (1976) – Actor
Alberto Del Rio – 49 years old (1977) – Mexican-American mixed martial artist and wrestler
Brian Urlacher – 48 years old (1978) – Football player
Carlos Bocanegra – 47 years old (1979) – Footballer and executive
Chris Young – 47 years old (1979) – Baseball pitcher
Ryan Gallant – 44 years old (1982) – Skateboarder
Jason Kubel – 44 years old (1982) – Baseball player
Stacey Pensgen – 44 years old (1982) – Figure skater and meteorologist
A. J. Foyt IV – 42 years old (1984) – Race car driver
Shawne Merriman – 42 years old (1984) – Football player
Roman Reigns – 41 years old (1985) – Football player and wrestler
Bo Dallas – 36 years old (1990) – Wrestler
Norman Powell – 33 years old (1993) – Basketball player
Aly Raisman – 32 years old (1994) – Gymnast
Brec Bassinger – 27 years old (1999) – Actress
Claire Liu – 26 years old (2000) – Tennis player
Chloé Lukasiak – 25 years old (2001) – Actress and dancer
Cam Ward – 24 years old (2002) – Football player
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MAY 25:
- National Wine Day: If only every day was Wine Day. Gather some friends together and splurge on some fancier wines, or visit a vineyard to try out your local selections.
- National Tap Dance Day: Take a tap dance class, see a show, or watch a tap film to appreciate this form of rhythmic dancing that has its roots in 19th Century slave communities.
- Global Africa Day: Global Africa Day, observed annually, brings attention to Africa's unity and development. Originating from the first meeting of the Organization of African Unity, the day emphasizes collaboration among nations! How to Celebrate Global Africa Day People worldwide celebrate African culture, achievements, and potential as an important part of this event. Check out...
- Geek Pride Day: Meet fellow geeks at Geek Pride events and celebrations, or simply show your pride and interest by talking about the geeky things you love most.
- National Brown-Bag-It Day: Crafting a satisfying midday meal, pack it thoughtfully for a daily boost, enhancing your lunchtime experience.
- Cheese Rolling Gloucester: Imagine the fun of celebrating Cheese Rolling Gloucester. This day sees the hills of Gloucestershire become the backdrop to one of the world's most unique and exhilarating traditions. Welcome to the Gloucester Cheese Roll's wild world, where tradition means daredevil antics and a fun, carnival-like atmosphere for all! How to...
- National Sing Out Day: National Sing Out Day is a special day celebrated each year to remember the joy and fun of singing out loud, no matter where you are or how well you can carry a tune. It's a day for everyone to embrace their unique voices and share their love of music...
- International Plastic Free Day: Imagine a world where beaches look like beaches, not crinkly confetti, and where a gust of wind does not send a ghostly plastic bag drifting into a tree like a sad flag. International Plastic Bag Free Day invites everyone to picture that cleaner, calmer scene and then take practical steps...
- Towel Day: No matter what you do on Towel Day, the number one thing to remember is: DON’T PANIC. Honor the legacy of Douglas Adams by carrying a towel with you.
- Decoration Day: Decoration Day is a tradition rooted in remembrance, built around a simple, human gesture: bringing beauty to a place of loss. It centers on honoring military service members who died in service, not with grand speeches alone, but with flowers, flags, and time set aside to pay attention to names...
- National Missing Children’s Day: When a child goes missing, time slows, and every second feels heavy with worry. National Missing Children’s Day emphasizes these moments, urging people to stay watchful and aware. Families facing this nightmare need support, and this day reminds everyone to pay attention. It’s not just about statistics—it’s about real kids...
- Prayer for Peace Memorial Day: Prayer for Peace Memorial Day feels different. It’s not loud or flashy. It’s quiet, heartfelt, and deeply human. People stop what they’re doing, not because they have to, but because something inside tells them to pause. They think of loved ones lost, wars fought, and the deep wish that no one...
- Celebration Day: Celebration Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the people who have shaped our lives but are no longer with us. It’s not a gloomy day, but one filled with warmth, small gestures, and gentle memories. Some people share stories that bring smiles, others plant seeds that grow into...
- Whit Monday: Celebrated on the day after Pentecost, Whit Monday is a time to remember the Holy Spirit's descent and marks the end of the Easter season.
- International Skin Pigmentation Day: Every year on this day, people around the world mark International Skin Pigmentation Day. This day shines a light on a common skin condition called hyperpigmentation, where some areas of the skin become darker than others. How to Celebrate International Skin Pigmentation Day Dive Into Dermatology Why not start your day with a...
- 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...
- Garden Wildlife Week: Garden Wildlife Week, observed in the early summer, is a lively celebration of the natural world found in our gardens. This week encourages people to appreciate and protect the birds, insects, and plants in their backyards. The celebration highlights the vital role these creatures play in keeping our environment healthy! How...
- World Thyroid Day: A small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck has an oversized job description. The thyroid helps regulate how the body uses energy, how warm it feels, how fast the heart beats, and even how quickly the digestive system moves along. World Thyroid Day spotlights this often-overlooked gland, encourages...
- Spring Bank Holiday: Get ready for a day of rest, relaxation, and good times. Spring Bank Holiday is the perfect opportunity to recharge and have fun!
- Memorial Day: Honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice — their bravery and selflessness will never be forgotten, and their legacy will live on.
- 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...
- Italian Beef Week: What's better than sinking your teeth into a juicy sandwich piled high with tender beef, topped with sweet peppers?
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