This Day In History : May 22

1902 United Kingdom

Launch of the White Star Liner SS Ionic

Ionic was launched at Harland and Wolff′s yard at the Queen's Island in Belfast on 22 May 1902.

Also on This Day in History May 22

Discover what happened on May 22 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, May 22
  • 1770 Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom

    Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom

  • 1930 Harvey Milk

    American lieutenant and politician,  Harvey Milk Day is celebrated on this day in California

  • 1859 Arthur Conan Doyle

    British author who brought Sherlock Holmes to life (twice)

  • 1874 Daniel François Malan

    Prime Minister of South Africa (1948-54) who began the implementation of apartheid

  • 1911 Anatol Rapoport

    Ukrainian-American mathematician and biologist (game theory)

Deaths on This Day, May 22
  • 1802 Martha Washington

    1st US First Lady (1789-97)

  • 1905 Georges Gilles de la Tourette

    French neurologist, hysteria specialist, and namesake of Tourette's syndrome

  • 1977 Gijs van Hall

    Dutch politician and Mayor of Amsterdam (1957-67)

  • 1997 A. D. Hershey

    American biologist, worked with bacteriophages (Nobel 1969)

  • 2006 Lee Jong-wook

    Korean Director-General of the World Health Organization

1849

Abraham Lincoln is issued a patent for an invention to lift boats over obstacles in rivers

Prior becoming the US President, Abraham Lincoln is issued a patent for an invention to lift boats over obstacles in rivers
1915

Mt. Lassen erupts

On May 22, 1915, an explosive eruption at Lassen Peak—the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range—devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 280 miles (450 km) to the east.
1902

US President Theodore Roosevelt signs a treaty with Mexico

US President Theodore Roosevelt signs a treaty with Mexico under which both countries agree to submit a long-standing dispute over interest payments to the Court of Arbitration at The Hague
1962

Netherlands telephone network becomes completely automated

On May 22, 1962, the Netherlands achieved a significant milestone when its telephone network became fully automated.
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