- May 1 2nd International Congress calls for 1st International Workers Day 1st May 1890 to mark protests in Chicago in 1886
Treaty of Wichale
May 2 Abyssinian Emperor Menelik II and Italy sign Treaty of Wichale
Exposition Universelle
May 6 Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the lifts in the tower are not ready, intrepid visitors need to climb 1,710 stairs to get to top
Esclarmonde
May 18 Jules Massenet's opera "Esclarmonde" premieres in Paris
Michelin Tyre Company
May 28 Édouard and André Michelin incorporate the Michelin tyre company