May 07
1824
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony premiered in Vienna.
1847
The American Medical Association was organized in Philadelphia, Pa.
1915
The British ocean liner Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine in World War I off the coast of Ireland.
1945
Germany unconditionally surrendered to the allies in Rheims, France.
1954
The 56-day-long battle of Dienbienphu ended with Ho Chi Minh’s forces defeating the French, signaling the end of French power in Indochina.
1992
The 27th Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting mid-term Congressional pay raises, was ratified.
1994
Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream was recovered a few months after it had been stolen.
1999
During action against Yugoslavia, NATO jets mistakenly bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three and injuring 20.
2000
Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as Russia’s president.
Birthdays
May 7
Edwin H. Land
1909–1991 American inventor and photographic pioneer.
While at Harvard, Land became interested in the properties and manipulation of polarized light. He left Harvard and, in 1932, created Polaroid J Sheet, a polarizing material that was inexpensive and easy to fabricate.
Robert Browning
poet (1812)
Johannes Brahms
composer (1833)
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
composer, (1840)
Archibald MacLeish
poet and public official (1892)
Gary Cooper
film actor (1901)
Eva Peron
political leader (1919)
Johnny Unitas
football player (1933)
Tim Russert
journalist (1950)