May 9: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On May 9, 1945, the Channel Islands were freed from Nazi occupation—the last British territory liberated in World War II—while five years later, the Schuman Declaration planted the seeds of the European Union.
About May 9
May 9 carries an extraordinary weight of freedom and unity. In 1945, the Channel Islands celebrated liberation after five years of German occupation—the only British soil held by Nazi forces during World War II. That same date in 1950, French foreign minister Robert Schuman unveiled a declaration proposing joint management of French and German coal and steel production. Many consider this speech the founding moment of what evolved into the European Union, which is why May 9 is observed as Europe Day across the EU and several partner nations.
Beyond Europe's postwar rebirth, this date stretches back to 1386, when England and Portugal signed the Treaty of Windsor—an alliance so durable it remains the world's oldest active diplomatic pact. Centuries later, in 1926, explorer Richard E. Byrd and pilot Floyd Bennett claimed the first airplane flight over the North Pole, though later examination of Byrd's diary has prompted historians to question whether they truly reached the pole. In 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced approval of the first oral contraceptive pill, a medical and social watershed. And in 2018, Malaysia's long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered a landmark electoral defeat, ending six decades in power since independence.
Among the notable figures born on this day are J. M. Barrie, the Scottish storyteller who dreamt up Peter Pan in 1860, and Howard Carter, the English archaeologist who unearthed Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Billy Joel, the Piano Man himself, arrived in 1949, while Sophie Scholl—executed at just 21 for her anti-Nazi resistance with the White Rose movement—was born in 1921.
Holidays & Observances on May 9
- Commemoration of the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands related observances: Liberation Day, commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. (Guernsey and Jersey)
- Europe Day, commemorating the Schuman Declaration. (European Union, Kosovo, Moldova, Ukraine)
- Victory Day observances, celebration of the Soviet Union victory over Nazi Germany (Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) Victory and Peace Day, marks the capture of Shusha (1992) in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, and the end of World War II. (Armenia)
- Home Front Heroes Day in the United States (proposed; locally observed in Dallas, Texas)
- Goku Day (Japan), commemorating the fictional character Goku.
Fun & National Days on May 9
- Lost Sock Memorial Day — Pour one out for every orphaned sock whose partner vanished in the dryer, never to return.
- Hurray for Buttons Day — Celebrate those humble little fasteners that hold our world (and shirts) together one clasp at a time.
- Mother Ocean Day — Stroll the shore, thank the sea, and toast the vast blue that covers most of our planet.
- International Migratory Bird Day — Look skyward and cheer on the feathered travelers logging thousands of miles across continents.
- Brunch for Lunch Day — Swap your midday sandwich for eggs Benedict and mimosas—because brunch shouldn't wait for weekends.
- American Indian Day
- Birthmother's Day
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day
- Letter Carrier's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day
- Martin Z. Mollusk Day
On This Day in History
- 1386 — England and Portugal signed the Treaty of Windsor, forging the world's oldest diplomatic alliance still in force today.
- 1502 — Christopher Columbus departed Cádiz on his fourth and final transatlantic voyage, seeking a westward passage to Asia.
- 1671 — Disguised as a clergyman, Irish adventurer Thomas Blood attempted to steal England's Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.
- 1877 — Mihail Kogălniceanu read Romania's Declaration of Independence before the Chamber of Deputies, formally severing ties with the Ottoman Empire.
- 1926 — Admiral Richard E. Byrd and pilot Floyd Bennett claimed the first airplane flight over the North Pole, though later evidence cast doubt on their achievement.
- 1941 — The Royal Navy captured German submarine U-110, seizing an Enigma machine that proved invaluable to Allied codebreakers.
- 1945 — The Channel Islands were liberated from Nazi occupation, ending the only German occupation of British territory during World War II.
- 1950 — French foreign minister Robert Schuman presented his landmark declaration, widely regarded as the founding act of what became the European Union.
- 1960 — The FDA announced approval of Enovid as the world's first oral contraceptive pill, a medical breakthrough with sweeping social consequences.
- 1974 — The U.S. House Judiciary Committee opened formal, public impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon over the Watergate scandal.
- 1988 — Australia's New Parliament House in Canberra officially opened, replacing the Old Parliament House that had served since 1927.
- 2018 — Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered a historic election defeat, ending 61 years in power since the nation's independence.
Famous Birthdays on May 9
- 1800 — John Brown, American abolitionist whose 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry escalated tensions toward the Civil War.
- 1860 — J. M. Barrie, Scottish novelist and playwright who created Peter Pan, one of literature's most beloved characters.
- 1874 — Howard Carter, English archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb in 1922, a landmark in Egyptology.
- 1883 — José Ortega y Gasset, Spanish philosopher whose works on mass society and individual reason shaped 20th-century thought.
- 1918 — Mike Wallace, American broadcast journalist whose tough interviewing style defined CBS's 60 Minutes for decades.
- 1921 — Sophie Scholl, German anti-Nazi activist in the White Rose movement, executed at 21 for distributing resistance leaflets.
- 1936 — Albert Finney, English actor whose powerful performances in Tom Jones and Murder on the Orient Express earned five Oscar nominations.
- 1936 — Glenda Jackson, English actress who won two Academy Awards before serving two decades as a Member of Parliament.
- 1946 — Candice Bergen, American actress who won five Emmys as the sharp-witted star of the sitcom Murphy Brown.
- 1949 — Billy Joel, American singer-songwriter and pianist whose six-decade career produced hits like Piano Man and Uptown Girl.