May 14th in History: Significant Events and Birthdays

May 14th in History: Significant Events and Birthdays

Today marks the 135th day of the year 2026, with 230 days remaining. On this day in history, President John Adams ordered the relocation of government offices to Washington, D.C., President Abraham Lincoln established the Department of Agriculture, and Mickey Mouse made his first public appearance in a test screening. In 1940, the first McDonald's fast-food restaurant opened, and in 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juveniles accused of crimes were entitled to due process. Tragic events also occurred on this day, such as the shooting at Jackson State College in 1970 and the assassination attempt on Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace in 1972. The U.S. returned administrative control of Okinawa to Japan in 1972. In more recent history, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death for the Boston Marathon bombing in 2015, and President Donald Trump launched the "Operation Warp Speed" vaccine program in 2020.

Celebrating their birthdays today are artist Jasper Johns, counterculture icon Wavy Gravy, actor-singer Lainie Kazan, basketball coach Don Nelson, musician Brian Eno, actor Chazz Palminteri, baseball legend George Brett, rapper Melle Mel, baseball star John Smoltz, football greats Emmitt Smith and Ray Lewis, actor Jamie-Lynn Sigler, tennis player Andy Murray, French soccer player Ousmane Dembele, and pop singer Haerin.