Hisdates•Com
HomePage 6: Historical Events In 1939
Tuesday, 24 February 2026
May 01 Pulitzer Prize awarded to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (The Yearling) 
May 02 Lou Gehrig ends 2130 consecutive game streak, Yanks beat Tigers 22-2
May 03 Belly up to the bar for this one. " Beer Barrel Polka", one of the standards of American music, was recorded by The Andrews Sisters for Decca Records. Patti, Maxine and LaVerne turned this song into a giant hit.
May 03 The All India Forward Bloc is formed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
May 03 [Karl Eduard] Wilhelm Groener, German general, dies at 71.
May 05 Flash floods kill 75 in Northeast Kentucky.
May 06 1st performance of Honegger/Claudel's "Jeanne d'Arc Ouch B-cher"
May 07 Germany and Italy announced an alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis
May 07 Jimmy Ruffin, vocalist (What is recorded as becoming of Broken Hearted).
May 09 Catholic church beatified the 1st Native American, Kateri Tekakwitha
May 09 Catholic church beatified the inaugural Native American, Kateri Tekakwitha.
May 13 In this year, 65th Preakness: George Seabo aboard Challedon claims in 1:59.8
May 13 SS St Louis departs Hamburg with 937 Jews fugitives
May 14 Lina Medina is recorded as becoming the world's youngest confirmed mother in medical history at the age of five.
May 16 1st AL night game, Phila Shribe Park (Indians 8, Athletics 3 in 10).
May 16 Food stamps are inaugural issued.
May 17 1st sports telecast-Columbia vs Princeton-college baseball
May 17 British issue the Palestine "White Paper" fixing the upper limit to 75000 Jews to be admitted into Palestine over the next five years.
May 17 King George VI 1895-1952 and Queen Elizabeth disembark at Wolfe's Cove from the CP ship Empress of Australia to start a month-long royal visit to Canada
May 17 Royal Tour of Canada commences with the arrival of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Wolfe's Cove, Quebec on the Empress of Canada. The 12 car train, (five from CP, five from CN and the two vice-regal cars), in royal blue and aluminum, left Quebec City on May 18. A pilot train, carrying officials and the press, preceeded the royal train by one hour and no other trains were permitted to travel within this period. The travel arrangements were shared by the two railways with CP being responsible for the westward journey to Victoria. CP used 4-6-4 locomotives 2850 and 2851 for the royal and pilot trains respectively, except for the Ottawa to Brighton, Ont, section, which was over CN track. 2850 hauled the royal train without change right through to Vancouver, a total distance of 3224 miles. Royal crowns were affixed to the running boards of both locomotives and these were eventually fitted to the entire class (2820-2864) which, following approval from their majesties, came to be known as Royal Hudsons.
May 17 Sweden, Norway and Finland reject Germany's non-aggression pact.
May 19 17th earl of Pembroke, English landowner/director (Emily)
May 19 Churchill signs British-Russian anti-Nazi pact
May 20 "3 Little Fishies" by Kay Kyser hits #1
May 20 "3 Little Fishies," by Kay Kyser hits #1
May 20 Joe Carr, NFL hall of famer/NFL president (1921-39), dies at 59
May 20 Pan Am begins regular transatlantic airmail and passenger service across the North Atlantic.
May 20 The inaugural regular transatlantic airmail service begins (NY to Marsseille France).
May 22 Ernst Toller, writer, dies at 45
May 22 Hitler and Mussolini sign "Pact of Steel".
May 23 British decoration, George Cross, 1st presented.
May 23 British decoration, George Cross, inaugural presented
May 23 British parliament plans to make Palestine independent by 1949.
May 23 Dmitri Shostakovitch appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad
« Previous Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Next Page »
