First American in Space May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard becomes the second person and the first American to travel into space and, in 1971, he became the fifth and oldest person to walk on the Moon, at age 47. When asked what he thought about as he sat atop the rocket waiting for liftoff, Shepard replied, "The fact that...

Kent State Massacre May 4, 1970 National Guardsmen kill four unarmed students of Kent State University (Ohio) and wound 9 others during a Vietnam War protest. Two of the students killed were bystanders.

Spanish-American War - Battle of Manila Bay May 1, 1898 U.S. Commodore George Dewey virtually destroys the Spanish fleet while American losses were minimal. The battle took place in Manila Bay in the Philippines, and was the first major engagement of the Spanish-American War and was one of the most decisive naval battl...

Hitler Commits Suicide April 30, 1945 56-year-old German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his newly-wed bride Eva Braun reportedly commit suicide by taking cyanide capsules. Their bodies were taken to the garden outside, doused in petrol, and set on fire. Some accounts say Hitler shot himself as he bit down the cyanide caps...

Rodney King Riots April 29, 1992 The four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King are acquitted. Los Angeles street riots followed - the worst U.S. riots in 75 years. 51 people were killed, 2,383 were injured, and more than 9,000 were arrested.