2014 Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force An-74 crash
A military plane crash killed 17 people and left one survivor in northern Laos.
What happened on May 17
37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1395 to 2026.
Standout on May 17
2007
North Korea
Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
About May 17
May 17 is the 137th day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 137 of 365 (138 in leap years)228 days left in the year (228 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Sunday in 2026, Monday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Thursday in 2029, Friday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 20 of 2026 · Q2
- Zodiac sign
- ♉ Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
- Season
- Spring in the north · Autumn in the south
- May birthstone
- Emeraldrebirth, love and wisdom
- May birth flower
- Lily of the valley / Hawthornsweetness, humility and hope
- Next occurrence
- In 202 days
- Roman numerals
- XVII.Vday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 40thJodie Taylor1986
- 40thMarius Činikas1986
- 40thTimo Simonlatser1986
- 20thUSS Oriskany2006
Born on May 17 — ages this year
- 1994Julie Anne San Joseturns 32
- 1991Johanna Kontaturns 35
- 1991Adil Omarturns 35
- 1991Abigail Rayeturns 35
- 1990Fabian Gieferturns 36
- 1990Charlie Gubbturns 36
Historical events 37
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Pamir Airways Flight 112
Pamir Airways Flight 112 crashes in Afghanistan's Shakardara District, killing 44.
North Korea
Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
USS Oriskany
The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriage
The first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. are performed in the state of Massachusetts.
2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence
Following the killing of two English football fans by Galatasaray supporters in the previous month, British and Turkish hooligans rioted on the day of the UEFA Cup Final in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal and Galatasaray fans clash in the 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots in Copenhagen.
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
Troops of Laurent-Désiré Kabila march into Kinshasa. Zaire is officially renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo.
First Congo War
The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
1995 San Diego tank rampage
Shawn Nelson steals an M60 tank from the California Army National Guard Armory in San Diego and proceeds to go on a rampage.
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
Six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama selected by the 14th Dalai Lama, was kidnapped by the Chinese government, who advocated a proxy.
Malawi
Malawi holds its first multi-party elections.
Black May (Thailand)
Three days of popular protests against the government of Prime Minister of Thailand Suchinda Kraprayoon begin in Bangkok, leading to a military crackdown that results in 52 officially confirmed deaths, hundreds of injuries, many disappearances, and more than 3,500 arrests.
World Health Organization
The General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminates homosexuality from the list of psychiatric diseases.
USS Stark incident
An Iraqi jet fired two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark, killing 37 personnel and injuring 21 others.
Iran–Iraq War
Iran–Iraq War: An Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1 fighter jet fires two missiles into the U.S. Navy warship USS Stark, killing 37 and injuring 21 of her crew.
Charles III
Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend", sparking controversies on the proper role of the Royal Family and the course of modern architecture.
United States Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy declassifies documents showing world's largest mercury pollution event in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (ultimately found to be 4.2 million pounds [1.9 kt]), in response to the Appalachian Observer's Freedom of Information Act request.
Lebanon
Lebanon, Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
1980 Miami riots
Rioting breaks out in downtown Miami, following the acquittal of four white police officers in the killing of Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance salesman.
Chun Doo-hwan
General Chun Doo-hwan of South Korea seizes control of the government and declares martial law in order to suppress student demonstrations.
Maoism
On the eve of presidential elections, Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path attacks a polling location in Chuschi (a town in Ayacucho), starting the Internal conflict in Peru.
Nolan Bushnell
Nolan Bushnell opens the first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (later renamed Chuck E. Cheese) in San Jose, California.
The Troubles
The Troubles: The Ulster Volunteer Force detonated a series of car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, Ireland, killing 34 people and injuring almost 300 others.
Supreme Court of the United States
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, outlawing racial segregation in public schools because "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" and therefore unconstitutional.
Chanel No. 5
After renegotiating a contract with the makers of her signature perfume Chanel No. 5, Coco Chanel (pictured) received a share of wartime profits from its sale, making her one of the richest women in the world.
Protocol of Corfu
Under the Protocol of Corfu, the Principality of Albania officially recognized Northern Epirus as an autonomous self-governing region.
Antikythera mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known surviving geared mechanism, was discovered among artifacts retrieved from a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.
Second Boer War
Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted after 217 days, a decisive victory for the British against the Boers.
Cavalleria rusticana
The opera Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, premieres at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, beginning the verismo period in Italian opera.
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union, which standardizes and regulates international radio and telecommunications, was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris.
American Civil War
American Civil War: At the Battle of Big Black River Bridge in Mississippi, Union forces under John A. McClernand defeated a Confederate rearguard and captured around 1,700 men.
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (pictured) was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh.
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford (pictured), whose father had been beheaded for rebelling against King Richard III of England, was himself executed for treason against King Henry VIII.
Wallachia
An outnumbered Wallachian army repulsed invading Ottoman forces at the Battle of Rovine.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Lucky Peterson
Lucky Peterson, American blues singer, keyboardist and guitarist (born 1964)
C. P. Krishnan Nair
C. P. Krishnan Nair, Indian businessman, founded The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts (born 1922)
Gerald Edelman
Gerald Edelman, American biologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1929)
Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentine Commander in Chief and dictator (born 1925)
Gideon Ezra
Gideon Ezra, Israeli geographer and politician, Israeli Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (born 1937)
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1936)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Paschal Baylón
Christian feast day: Paschal Baylon
May 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: May 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Giulia Salzano
Christian feast day: Giulia Salzano
Public holidays in Malaysia
Birthday of the Raja (Perlis)
Beatification
Christian feast day: Blessed Ivan Ziatyk
Peter Lieou
Christian feast day: Peter Lieou
Restituta
Christian feast day: Restituta
William Hobart Hare
Christian feast day: William Hobart Hare (Episcopal Church (USA))
Spread across the centuries
- 14th century1
- 16th century2
- 19th century5
- 20th century43
- 21st century26
Earliest: Wallachia (1395). Most recent: M. J. K. Smith (2026).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Nearby and related
Questions about May 17
What day of the year is May 17?
May 17 is the 137th day of the year, with 228 days left after it.
What star sign is May 17?
May 17 falls under Taurus (April 20 – May 20), a earth sign ruled by Venus. The birthstone for the month is Emerald.
How many things happened on May 17?
We record 85 entries for May 17: 37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1395 to 2026.
Who was born on May 17?
Julie Anne San Jose (1994) is among the notable births on May 17. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the May 17 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like May 17
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.