This Day In History : May 7

1789 United States

First US Presidential inaugural ball

The tradition of presidential inaugural balls in the United States has evolved over time. The first inaugural ball was held by sponsors on May 7, 1789, in New York City, one week after the first inauguration of George Washington.

Also on This Day in History May 7

Discover what happened on May 7 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, May 7
  • 1748 Olympe de Gouges

    French playwright and revolutionary

  • 1812 Robert Browning

    English Poet

  • 1861 Rabindranath Tagore

    Indian philosopher, poet, writer

  • 1847 Archibald Primrose

    5th Earl of Rosebery, British Prime Minister

  • 1909 Edwin Land

    American inventor of instant photography and co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation

Deaths on This Day, May 7
  • 1805 William Petty

    2nd Earl of Shelburne, Prime Minister of Great Britain 

  • 1896 H. H. Holmes

    American serial killer

  • 1957 Wilhelm Filchner

    German explorer who led the German Antarctic expedition of 1911–12

  • 1951 Warner Baxter

    American actor

  • 2011 Seve Ballesteros

    Spanish Golfer

1915

RMS Lusitania Sinks

The RMS Lusitania was a British-registered ocean liner that was torpedoed by an Imperial German Navy U-boat during the First World War on 7 May 1915, about 11 nautical miles (20 kilometres) off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland.
1917

Ruth Leads Victory

In a testament to his pitching ability, future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth leads Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory against Washington Senators legend Walter Johnson
1945

Nazi Germany Surrenders

Unconditional surrender of the German Third Reich to the Allies signed by General Alfred Jodl at Rheims, Northern France
1975

End of Vietnam Era

US President Gerald Ford declares an end to "Vietnam Era" The Vietnam War officially ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured the capital of South Vietnam, marking the conclusion of the conflict and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule. 
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