On this day: May 31
May 31, 1859
In 1859, the iconic clock tower known as “Big Ben” in London, England, began keeping time for the first time. The clock tower, officially named the Elizabeth Tower, is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in London. The clock tower was completed in 1858 and was designed by architect Augustus Pugin. The clock itself was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison and George Airy. Big Ben has since become a symbol of London and is a popular tourist attraction.
May 31, 1889
On this day in 1889, the South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania failed, leading to the catastrophic Johnstown Flood. The dam had been poorly maintained and was unable to withstand the heavy rainfall that occurred in the days leading up to the disaster. The flood killed over 2,200 people and caused widespread destruction in the town of Johnstown. The disaster led to changes in dam construction and maintenance practices in the United States.
May 31, 1921
May 31, 1921, marked the beginning of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The massacre was one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history and resulted in the destruction of the prosperous African American neighborhood of Greenwood, also known as “Black Wall Street.” The violence was sparked by a false accusation against a young black man, and white mobs attacked and looted businesses and homes in Greenwood. Hundreds of people were killed, and thousands were left homeless. The Tulsa Race Massacre remains a dark chapter in American history and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
May 31, 1961
On this day in 1961, the South African government passed the Immorality Act, which prohibited interracial marriages and relationships. The act was part of the apartheid regime’s policy of racial segregation and discrimination. Interracial relationships were seen as a threat to the government’s policy of racial purity and were therefore banned. The Immorality Act was one of many discriminatory laws passed by the South African government during the apartheid era and was not repealed until 1985.
May 31, 2005
May 31, 2005, marked the official end of the search for missing teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba. Holloway had disappeared while on a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island in May 2005. Despite extensive searches and investigations, her body was never found, and no one was ever charged in connection with her disappearance. The case received widespread media attention and remains unsolved to this day.
May 31, 2020
On May 31, 2020, protests erupted in cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd, an African American man who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, leading to his death. The incident was captured on video and sparked outrage and calls for justice. The protests that followed were some of the largest and most widespread in American history, with millions of people taking to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and systemic racism. The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum as a result of Floyd’s death, and calls for police reform and racial justice continue to this day.
