2027

3 International Observances to Celebrate on May 20, 2027

International observance days, weeks, and months for May 20, 2027. Plus historical events and birthdays.

2027
World Bee Day

World Bee Day

May 20, 2027 celebrates World Bee Day, plus 2 more. World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20 each year. The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.

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International Red Sneakers Day

Each year on May 20th, International Red Sneakers Day marks a growing movement with a mission to save the lives of those with food allergies while also sharing the story and memory of a boy who loved red sneakers.

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World Metrology Day

Thinking back to grade school science class, there was always that one moment where someone in class asked the teacher what everyone was wondering. Why are we measuring our liquids in milliliters instead of ounces?

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Born on May 20

People born on May 20

1768
DM

Dolley Madison

The 4th First Lady of the U.S. (President James Madison).

1818
WF

William Fargo

Co-founder of Wells Fargo and American Express.

1851
RH

Rose Hawthorne Lathrop

Daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne who became a nun and founded the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne.

1851
EB

Emile Berliner

Inventor of the Gramophone record.

1908
JS

James Stewart

Actor who earned great distinction in film, including The Murder Man (1935), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

1908
FR

Francis Raymond Fosberg

Botanist who helped develop the standards for studying coral reef and the study of islands.

1913
WH

William Hewlett

Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard.

1918
EB

Edward B. Lewis

American biologist, geneticist, and academic who helped found and develop the field of evolutionary developmental biology.

1921
HN

Hal Newhouser

MLB pitcher who was known as "Hurricane Hal."

1946
C

Cher

Award-winning musician and actress who has been dubbed the "Goddess of Pop."

1965
TA

Ted Allen

American television host and author.

1989
GR

Gilda Radner

Comedian who is fondly remembered as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975–1980).

Historical Events on May 20

Events that occurred on May 20 throughout history

1639

Dorchester, Massachusetts, forms the first school to be funded by local tax dollars.

Dorchester, Massachusetts, forms the first school to be funded by local tax dollars. Known as the Mather School, the school was funded by a tax on property owners on Thompson Island and was free to all children in the town.

1734

The first jockey club forms in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Jockey Club, often cited as the first in the U.S., was established in Charleston around 1734. The club was composed of elite horse owners and breeders, notes the Steeplechase of Charleston.

1861

Kentucky proclaims its neutrality during the Civil War.

The state of Kentucky proclaims its neutrality, which will last until September 3 when Confederate forces enter the state. Following September 3, the state legislature passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of Confederate forces and pledged loyalty to the Union.

1862

President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act.

President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act, opening 84 million acres of public land to settlers. This legislation was meant to encourage any U.S. citizen to live on, cultivate, and improve the land for five years, paying only a small registration fee.

1873

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a patent for blue jeans with copper rivets

Straus and Davis were granted U.S. Patent No. 139,121 for "Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings", marking the birth of blue jeans with copper rivets. Originally designed for workwear, this invention grew into the iconic 501 brand.

1891

The first public display of Thomas Edison's prototype kinetoscope occurs.

The first public display of Thomas Edison's prototype kinetoscope. Approximately 150 members of the National Federation of Women's Clubs viewed a 3-second film through a peephole in a pine box.

1949

The U.S. Armed Forces Security Agency is established.

The U.S. Armed Forces Security Agency is established to eliminate duplication of effort between military branches after WWII. In 1952, the agency reorganized and became known as the National Security Agency (NSA).

1969

U.S. troops capture Hill 937 in Vietnam.

U.S. troops capture Hill 937, also known as Hamburger Hill in Vietnam.

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