Major Events
- 1660 English Parliament proclaims Charles II, King of England and invites him to return
- 1835 First installment of Hans Christian Andersen "Fairy Tales" published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark
- 1895 China cedes Taiwan to Japan under Treaty of Shimonoseki
- 1902 Mount Pelée on the French overseas island of Martinique erupts, wiping out the city of Saint-Pierre, killing 30,000 and leaving only two survivors
- 1945 V-E Day: World War II ends in Europe after Germany signs an unconditional surrender
- 1980 World Health Organization announces smallpox has been eradicated
- 2007 A new Northern Ireland Executive is formed with Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party) as First Minister and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) as Deputy First Minister
- More May 8 Events
May 8 in Film & TV
- 1958 Classic Hammer horror film "Dracula" film starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous vampire alongside Peter Cushing, directed by Terence Fisher released
May 8 in Music
May 8 in Sport
- 1984 The Soviet Union announces it will not participate in Los Angeles Summer Olympics in retaliation for the American boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics
Did You Know?
Edward Gibbon
Phillis Wheatley
Harry Truman
Mordecai Anielewicz
John C. Bogle
Peter Benchley
Roberto Rossellini
Ricky Nelson
David Attenborough
Jodhi May
Robert Johnson
Gary Glitter
Enrique Iglesias
Bill Cowher
Omar Camporese
Fun Fact About May 8
16-year-old Keron Thomas disguises himself as a motorman and takes a NYC subway train and 2,000 passengers on a 3 hour ride
Famous Weddings
- 1783 American seamstress Betsy Ross (31) weds (for the 3rd time) John Claypoole at Christ Church
- 1910 Film producer Samuel Goldwyn (27) weds first wife Blanche Lasky
- 1959 Aspiring American actress Raquel Tejada (18) weds high school sweetheart James Welch; divorce in 1964 - she keeps his name (Raquel Welch)
More May 8 Weddings
Kamehameha I
John Stuart Mill
Paul Gauguin
Elmer Rice
Fred McLeodArticles, Photos and Quiz
Suicide Woman Floats To Safety
Nobody could expect to survive a fall from the 100-metre high Clifton Suspension Bridge. But one woman was saved on this day by her billowing skirt.
May 8, 1885
Nazi Germany Surrenders
German commander Wilhelm Keitel signs the final unconditional surrender of Germany in the ruins of Berlin
May 8, 1945
