Summary of the Day ✨ 24 May (24/05)
On this day, tragedy struck multiple locations as a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school left 19 children dead while 22 students perished in an Indian fire, and Brussels’ Jewish Museum became the site of another deadly shooting. Simultaneously, political upheaval occurred as British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation following Brexit controversies, and a powerful earthquake injured over 300 people in the Aegean Sea region.
Historical Events 📜
- 2022: A mass shooting occurs at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, United States, resulting in the deaths of 21 people, including 19 children.
- 2019: Twenty-two students die in a fire in Surat (India).
- 2019: Under pressure over her handling of Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May announces her resignation as Leader of the Conservative Party, effective as of June 7.
- 2014: A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, injuring 324 people.
- 2014: At least three people are killed in a shooting at Brussels’ Jewish Museum of Belgium.
- 2002: Russia and the United States sign the Moscow Treaty.
- 2000: Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.
- 1999: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands indicts Slobodan Milošević and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo.
- 1995: While attempting to return to Leeds Bradford Airport in the United Kingdom, Knight Air Flight 816 crashes in Dunkeswick, North Yorkshire, killing all 12 people on board.
- 1994: Four men are convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York in 1993; each one is sentenced to 240 years in prison.
- 1993: Eritrea gains its independence from Ethiopia.
- 1993: Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo and five other people are assassinated in a shootout at Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport in Mexico.
- 1992: The last Thai dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, resigns following pro-democracy protests.
- 1992: The ethnic cleansing in Kozarac, Bosnia and Herzegovina begins when Serbian militia and police forces enter the town.
- 1991: Israel conducts Operation Solomon, evacuating Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
Famous Births 👶
- 2002: Saim Ayub, Pakistani cricketer
- 2001: Emily Austin, journalist and social media influencer
- 1999: Tarjei Sandvik Moe, Norwegian actor
- 1996: Shu Uchida, Japanese voice actress
- 1994: Rodrigo De Paul, Argentine footballer
- 1994: Jarell Martin, American basketball player
- 1994: Emily Nicholl, Scottish netball player
- 1994: Daiya Seto, Japanese swimmer
- 1994: Emily Temple Wood, American 2016 Wikipedian of the Year award
- 1992: Marcus Bettinelli, English footballer
- 1991: Aled Davies, Welsh discus thrower
- 1991: Cody Eakin, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1990: Mattias Ekholm, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1990: Joey Logano, American race car driver
- 1989: G-Eazy, American rapper
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Gary Pierce, English footballer (born 1951)
- 2024: Doug Ingle, American musician (born 1945)
- 2024: Kabosu, Japanese dog and Internet meme celebrity (born 2005)
- 2023: Tina Turner, American-Swiss rock and pop singer, dancer, actress and author (born 1939)
- 2018: John “TotalBiscuit” Bain, English gaming commentator and critic (born 1984)
- 2018: Gudrun Burwitz, daughter of Margarete Himmler and Heinrich Himmler (born 1929)
- 2015: Dean Carroll, English rugby player (born 1962)
- 2015: Kenneth Jacobs, Australian lawyer and judge (born 1917)
- 2015: Tanith Lee, English author (born 1947)
- 2014: David Allen, English cricketer (born 1935)
- 2014: Stormé DeLarverie, known as the “Rosa Parks of the lesbian community” (born 1920)
- 2014: Mahafarid Amir Khosravi, Iranian businessman (born 1969)
- 2014: Knowlton Nash, Canadian journalist and author (born 1927)
- 2014: John Vasconcellos, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician (born 1932)
- 2013: Helmut Braunlich, German-American violinist and composer (born 1929)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Aldersgate Day/Wesley Day (Methodism)
- Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador)
- Bermuda Day (Bermuda), celebrated on the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on the weekend.
- Christian feast day:
Anna Pak Agi (one of The Korean Martyrs) - Christian feast day:
Donatian and Rogatian - Christian feast day:
Jackson Kemper (Episcopal Church) - Christian feast day:
Joanna - Christian feast day:
Mary, Help of Christians - Christian feast day:
Sarah (celebrated by the Romani people of Camargue) - Christian feast day:
Vincent of Lérins - Christian feast day:
May 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Commonwealth Day (Belize)
- Independence Day (Eritrea), celebrates the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1993.
- Lubiri Memorial Day (Buganda)
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (Eastern Orthodox Church, Julian Calendar) and its related observance:
Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgaria)