What are the important events that happened on May 8? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
May 8: Facts & Myths About This Day
May 8 is the 129th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 237 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Wednesday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is April 25, 2024 – a Wednesday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 476,424 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectaicosaenneagon’ day.
Taurus is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Emerald is the modern birthstone for this month. Sapphire is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 266 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,156 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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May 8 Historical Events
- 413 –Emperor Honorius signs an edict providing tax relief for the Italian provinces Tuscia, Campania, Picenum, Samnium, Apulia, Lucania and Calabria, who are plundered by the Visigoths.
- 589 –Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo.
- 1821 –Greek War of Independence: The Greeks defeat the Turks at the Battle of Gravia.
- 1877 –At Gilmore’s Gardens in New York City, the first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens.
- 1912 –Paramount Pictures is founded.
- 1933 –Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21-day fast in protest against British oppression in India.
- 1941 –The German Luftwaffe launch a bombing raid on Nottingham and Derby
- 1945 –Hundreds of Algerian civilians are killed by French Army soldiers in the Sétif massacre.
- 1946 –Estonian school girls Aili Jõgi and Ageeda Paavel blow up the Soviet memorial which stood in front of the Bronze Soldier in Tallinn.
- 1980 –The eradication of smallpox is endorsed by the World Health Organization.
Who were born on May 8?
- 1825 –George Bruce Malleson, Indian officer (d. 1898)
- 1903 –Fernandel, French actor (d. 1971)
- 1948 –Stephen Stohn, Canadian television producer
- 1963 –Anthony Field, Australian musician and actor
- 1964 –Bobby Labonte, American race car driver
- 1968 –Nathalie Normandeau, Quebec politician
- 1973 –Kris Hudson-Lee, English musician
- 1974 –Korey Stringer, American football player (d. 2001)
- 1980 –Keyon Dooling, American basketball player
- 1990 –Kemba Walker, American basketball player
Who died on May 8?
- 1891 –Helena Blavatsky, Russian-born author (b. 1831)
- 1943 –Mordechaj Anielewicz, Polish Resistance Fighter (b. 1919)
- 1948 –U Saw, Burmese politician (b. 1900)
- 1987 –Doris Stokes, British psychic medium (b. 1920)
- 1991 –Rudolf Serkin, Austrian pianist (b. 1903)
- 1993 –Avram Davidson, American writer (b. 1923)
- 1994 –George Peppard, American actor (b. 1928)
- 1996 –Beryl Burton, English cyclist (b. 1937)
- 1996 –Garth Williams, American illustrator (b. 1912)
- 2000 –Henry Nicols, AIDS activist (b. 1973)
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