Category Archives: History

  On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the executive head of the World Zionist Organization, officially proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. The historic ceremony took place at the Tel Aviv Museum (now Independence Hall) just hours before … Continue reading →

The Event: On May 13, 1888, Princess Isabel of Brazil signed the Lei Áurea (Golden Law), officially abolishing slavery throughout the Empire of Brazil. This landmark legislation was remarkably brief, containing only two main articles: the first declared slavery abolished … Continue reading →

The Event On May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union officially lifted the Berlin Blockade, marking one of the first major victories for the Western Allies in the Cold War. The blockade, which began in June 1948, was an attempt by … Continue reading →

  This oil painting dramatically renders the decisive final game of the historic 1997 chess rematch between the reigning World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, and IBM’s supercomputer, Deep Blue. In the foreground, a visibly stressed and intense Kasparov, rubbing his … Continue reading →

The Event: On May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing Neville Chamberlain on the very same day that Nazi Germany launched its massive western offensive, invading the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. Churchill … Continue reading →

On May 9, 1960, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a quiet but monumental decision by officially approving the first commercially produced oral contraceptive, Enovid-10. This approval was the culmination of decades of tenacious advocacy, primarily led … Continue reading →

The Event: VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marks the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945. This monumental day in history signifies the end of the conflict … Continue reading →

  This oil painting captures a definitive and tragic moment from World War I: the sinking of the RMS Lusitania on May 7, 1915. It depicts the dramatic scene just minutes after the massive British ocean liner was struck by … Continue reading →

This oil painting captures the tragic Hindenburg disaster, which occurred on May 6, 1937. It depicts the exact moment the German airship LZ 129 Hindenburg erupted into a spectacular inferno while attempting to dock at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in … Continue reading →