What happened in May 1971?
The top front-page story of each day in May 1971, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- May 1🔬 Mass Production of Male Flies – A new method to mass produce only male house flies offers hope for pest eradication without harmful sprays.
- May 2🏇 Kentucky Derby Victory – Canonero II wins the Kentucky Derby, sparking excitement in Venezuela and marking a significant horse racing event.
- May 3🏆 Hogberg Beats Keino – Ulf Hogberg of Sweden defeated Kipchoge Keino to win the 1,500 meters gold medal at the Hapoel Games in Tel Aviv.
- May 4🏛️ Ulbricht Resigns Leadership – Walter Ulbricht stepped down as leader of the East German Communist party after 25 years, citing age and health issues.
- May 5🌍 Self-Government Granted – The Gilbert and Ellice Islands, key WWII battlegrounds, have been granted almost complete self-government by Britain.
- May 6🏛️ Herod's Palace Unearthed – Remains of King Herod's palace, built nearly 2,000 years ago, have been discovered in Jerusalem's Old City.
- May 7🚀 Mars Mission Preparations – Two spacecraft are set for a six-month journey to Mars, equipped with cameras and instruments for orbiting the planet.
- May 8✈️ Pompidou Flies Concorde – President Pompidou flew at 1,315 mph in a Concorde, showcasing France's commitment to supersonic travel amid criticism.
- May 9📸 Mariner 8 Rocket Failure – The Mariner 8 mission to orbit Mars failed shortly after lift-off, resulting in the $60 million spacecraft being lost in the Atlantic Ocean.
- May 10🌌 Moscow Looks to Moon – Moscow plans to develop moon rovers, marking a significant step in space exploration following the past decade of achievements.
- May 11🏨 Fire Sweeps London Hotel – A fire engulfed the Hills Hotel in London, resulting in the deaths of seven people early today.
- May 12📽️ Chaplin Films Released – Charlie Chaplin's nine best-known films, held off the market for six years, will be available for worldwide showings.
- May 13🌍 Turkey Earthquake Kills 100 – A devastating earthquake struck southwest Turkey, resulting in at least 100 fatalities and significant destruction.
- May 14🏟️ Bears Lease Soldier Field – The Chicago Bears signed a three-year lease to play at Soldier Field, agreeing to pay 10% of game receipts.
- May 15🏛️ Notre Dame Merger – University of Notre Dame and St. Mary's College agreed to merge into a single coeducational university, enhancing educational opportunities.
- May 16🏗️ Gettysburg Tower Construction – Contractors began work on a new 300-foot observation tower at Gettysburg, aimed at enhancing tourist experiences.
- May 17🎭 Ballet 'Nothing Wasted' – Jerome Robbins's ballet 'Dances at a Gathering' is praised as a favorite for its continuing pleasure and artistic merit.
- May 18♟️ Ullmann Beats Larsen – East Germany's Wolfgang Ullmann defeated Denmark's Grandmaster Bent Larsen in the World Chess quarter-finals.
- May 19🚀 Cosmos 420 Launched – The Soviet Union announced the launch of Cosmos 420, an unmanned satellite, enhancing its space exploration capabilities.
- May 20🚀 421st Cosmos Launched – The Soviet Union launched its 421st earth satellite in the Cosmos series, successfully orbiting every 92 minutes.
- May 21🌨️ World Snowfall Record – Mount Rainier National Park sets a new world record with 1,014.5 inches of snowfall this season, surpassing the previous record.
- May 22🌍 Pompidou-Heath Accord – President Pompidou and Prime Minister Heath announced agreements paving the way for Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
- May 23🏛️ Johnson Library Dedicated – The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library was dedicated in Austin, Texas, in a televised ceremony attended by 3,000 guests, including political figures.
- May 24🌍 Global Pollution Initiative – Great powers are considering a UN role to coordinate global efforts to combat pollution and ensure a habitable world.
- May 25🚀 Soviet Launches Satellite – The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 422, an unmanned satellite, into a wide elliptical orbit reaching 633 miles from Earth.
- May 26✈️ Soviet SST Arrives – The Soviet supersonic airliner, the TU-144, lands at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, marking its first flight to the West.
- May 27🌍 Chelsea Flower Show – The Chelsea Flower Show celebrated its 50th anniversary, attracting garden enthusiasts to the Royal Hospital grounds in London.
- May 28🕊️ Soviet-Egyptian Treaty Signed – The Soviet Union and Egypt signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in Cairo, strengthening their diplomatic ties.
- May 29🏁 Indy 500 Race – The 55th running of the Indianapolis 500 featured the fastest 33-car field ever, promising a competitive race.
- May 30🏁 Al Unser Wins Indy 500 – Al Unser of Albuquerque won the Indianapolis 500 for the second consecutive year, celebrating his 32nd birthday with a $100,000 victory.
- May 31👷♀️ Woman Mining Engineer – Betty Gibbs, a pioneering mining engineer, continues her career, defying gender norms in a male-dominated field.
Happy Birthday! 1971 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1971 in real headlines. See the 1971 book →