May 7 is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. 238 days remain until the end of the year. 7th May is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years). 250 days remain until the end of the year. Today also marks World Asthma Day. Find out some of the important events that occurred on this day in history.

 

Historical events

558 — In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I immediately orders the dome rebuilt.

1697 — Stockholm’s medieval royal castle destroyed by fire, the Codex Gigas (world’s largest extant medieval illuminated manuscript) survives by being thrown out a window.

1700 — English Philosopher and Founder of Pennsylvania William Penn began monthly meetings for Blacks advocating emancipation.

1727 — Jews expelled from Ukraine by Empress Catherine I of Russia.

1771 — Samuel Hearne explores Copper Mine River of Canada.

1824 — Composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th (Chorale) Symphony, premieres in Vienna, often regarded as his greatest work.

1846 — First printed copies of “Poems” by writers Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë received, published under the pseudonym of Acton, Currer and Ellis Bell (2 copies sold).

1885 — Suicide woman floats back to safety. Nobody could expect to survive a fall from the 100-metre high Clifton Suspension Bridge. But this woman was saved on this day by her billowing skirt.

 

7th May in the 20th Century

1912 — Columbia University approves plans for awarding the Pulitzer Prize in several categories after established by Joseph Pulitzer.

1913 — British House of Commons rejects women’s right to vote.

1914 — US Congress establishes Mother’s Day.

1934 — World’s largest pearl (6.4 kg) found at Palawan, Philippines.

1940 — Winston Churchill becomes the British Prime Minister.

1946 — William H Hastie inaugurated as the first black governor of Virgin Islands.

1946 — Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with around 20 employees

1951 — International Olympic committee allows Russia to participate in the 1952 Olympics.

1961 — “Young Abe Lincoln” closes at Eugene O’Neill NYC after 27 performances.

1993 — South Africa agrees to multi-racial elections

1994 — Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream” is recovered 3 months after it was stolen from an Oslo Museum. This version of “The Scream”, one of four different versions, was painted on paper.

1996 — Comedian Martin Lawrence suffers a nervous breakdown.

1997 — Science fiction film “The Fifth Element” written and directed by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich releases. Then the most expensive European film ever made.

1998 — Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for $US40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the then largest industrial merger in history.

1999 — Jury finds “The Jenny Jones Show” and Warner Bros. liable in the death of Scott Amedure, after purposely deceiving Jonathan Schmitz to appear on a same-s*x crush episode. Schmitz later kills Amedure, jury awards Amedure’s family $25 million.

 

7th May in the 21st Century

2006 — 52nd British Academy Television Awards: “Help” Best Comedy, “Doctor Who” Best Drama.

2011 — “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”, directed by Rob Marshall, starring Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz, premieres in – opening weekend makes $350.6m.

2012 — Vladimir Putin sworn in for a third six-year term as President of Russia.

2012 — Palaeoclimatological research claims dinosaur flatulence may have warmed the earth.

2013 — 55 people killed by a Boko Haram attack in Nigeria.

2013 — Delaware becomes the 11th US State to legalize same-s*x marriage.

2015 — Underwater explorers discover a silver ingot of pirate legend Captain William Kidd’s treasure near Madagascar.

2017 — Emmanuel Macron wins France’s presidential election, defeating President of the National Front Party Marine Le Pen.

2017 — MTV becomes the first major awards show to adopt gender-neutral categories. Emma Watson wins best film actor, and Millie Bobby Brown wins best TV actor.

2018 — Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russian President for another 6 years.

2018 — More mudslides in Rwanda kill 18 people bringing the year’s death toll to 200.

 

More 7th May dates

2018 — Global tourism accounts for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions according to a University of Sydney study.

2018 — Met Gala 2018 “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ hosted by Anna Wintour, Amal Clooney, Donatella Versace and Rihanna wearing a Pope-inspired outfit.