Historical eventMay 171900

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.

Everything on May 17Original source

In context

When
Thursday, May 17 1900126 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1900s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1900.

What happened

The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.

May 17 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1900The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  2. 1997Laurent-Désiré Kabila
  3. 1997First Congo War
  4. 20002000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence
  5. 2000Arsenal F.C.
  6. 2004Massachusetts
  7. 2004Same-sex marriage
  8. 2006USS Oriskany
  9. 2007North Korea
  10. 2010Pamir Airways Flight 112
  11. 20142014 Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force An-74 crash

Also in 1900

  • June 14German Naval LawsThe second of the German Naval Laws was passed, authorising the doubling in size of the Imperial German Navy.
  • June 17Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion: Allied naval forces captured the Taku Forts from Qing China after a brief but bloody battle.
  • May 1Dust explosionA dust explosion at a coal mine near Scofield, Utah, U.S., killed at least 200 miners.
  • January 14Giacomo PucciniGiacomo Puccini's opera Tosca (poster pictured), based on the play La Tosca by French dramatist Victorien Sardou, premiered at the Teatro…
  • March 24Robert Anderson Van WyckRobert Anderson Van Wyck, mayor of New York City, broke ground for a new underground Rapid Transit Railroad that would link Manhattan and…
  • November 6William McKinleyPresident William McKinley is re-elected, along with his vice-presidential running mate, Governor Theodore Roosevelt of New York.
  • January 31Mat Salleh RebellionDatu Muhammad Salleh, leader of a series of major disturbances in North Borneo, was shot dead in Tambunan, but his followers did not give…
  • February 27FC Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich, Germany's most successful football club, was founded.

Everything we record for 1900 →

Sources

Cite this page

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-1900-may-17, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did The Wonderful Wizard of Oz happen?

May 17 1900 — 126 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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