Major Events
- 1431 Hundred Years' War: 19-year-old Joan of Arc is burned at the stake by an English-dominated tribunal in Rouen, France
- 1539 Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition of 10 ships and 700 men lands in Florida
- 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the United States and Mexico comes into force, giving California Nevada, Utah and most of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona to the US in return for $15 million
- 1868 "Decoration Day", later called Memorial Day is first observed in Northern US states
- 1913 Treaty of London signed by the Great Powers, the Ottoman Empire and the victorious Balkan League (Serbia, Greece, Kingdom of Bulgaria, and Montenegro) bringing an end to the First Balkan War
- 2024 Jury in New York City find former US President Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide payments made to prevent damaging personal information from being released prior to the 2016 election [1]
- More May 30 Events
May 30 in Film & TV
- 1987 North American Philips Company unveils compact disc video
May 30 in Music
- 1917 Jazz standard "Dark Town Strutters Ball" by Shelton Brooks recorded by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band
May 30 in Sport
- 1911 1st Indianapolis 500: Ray Harroun driving a Marmon Wasp for Nordyke & Marmon Company comes out of retirement, wins inaugural event; average speed: 74.602 mph (120.060 km/h)
Did You Know?
Former Chad dictator Hissène Habré convicted of crimes against humanity by the Extraordinary African chambers, 1st ex-head of state convicted of the charge
Alexander Nevsky
Henry Addington
Alexei Leonov
Brian Kobilka
Gale Sayers
Idina Menzel
Benny Goodman
Tom Morello
Wynonna Judd
George Headley
Fun Fact About May 30
Future US President Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson accused Jackson's wife of bigamy
Famous Weddings
- 1536 England's King Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour, his 3rd wife
- 1797 Abolitionist William Wilberforce (37) weds Barbara Spooner (25) at St Swithins Church in Walcot, Bath
- 1927 Academy Award-winning actor Fredric March (29) marries actress Florence Eldridge
More May 30 Weddings
Joan of Arc
Charles IX
Voltaire
Boris Pasternak
Rafael Trujillo
Leó SzilárdArticles, Photos and Quiz
Hernando de Soto's Expedition lands in Florida
Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto lands on the coast of Florida, somewhere between present-day Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor
May 30, 1539
Voltaire: Writer, Wit, Philosopher and Rebel
They burned his books, sent him to the Bastille and into exile, but Voltaire, who died on this day, remained rich, successful – and defiant.
May 30, 1778
