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On This Day 4 mins Read

May 5: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Did you know that on this day, May 5, 1921, Perfume Chanel No.5 was released?

Fact Checked Human Written Verified Sources Regularly Updated

May 5th is Nail Day and Cartoonists Day.

Today marks day 125 of the year, and we have 240 days left in 2025.

Today in history was an important day for exploration, sports and fashion, but it was also a terrible day for disasters. Here you’ll find the facts & historical events that happened on this day.

Did you know that on this day, May 5, 1921, Perfume Chanel No.5 was released? It was the first perfume released by French couturier Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about May 5th in history!

Historical Events

What memorable events happened on May 5 in history? Keep reading to find out!

Donald Glover, known by his stage name Childish Gambino, released the music video for his single titled “This Is America,” which went on to gain vast praise.

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A conjunction of Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon occurred.

OTD in 2000: A conjunction of Sun

A conjunction is when planets meet at a specific angle which creates an optical illusion.

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Mike Tyson received his second speeding ticket while drag racing his Lamborghini in Albany, New York.

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Secretariat made history when he finished the Kentucky Derby in record time.

He was the first horse to complete the Derby in under two minutes, with a time of 1 minute 59.4 seconds.

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Alan Shephard became the first American to travel to outer space.

Shepherd flew aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule as a part of the Mercury Project. He remained in space for fifteen minutes before returning safely to Earth.

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Bhumibol Adulyadej was crowned King of Thailand.

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Perfume Chanel No.5 was released.

OTD in 1921: Perfume Chanel No.5 was released.

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel released her first fragrance ever, which ended up also being the first modern perfume. Coco was also the first face of the advertisement for the perfume.

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Eugene Bullard became the first African-American military pilot after acquiring his pilot’s license from the Aéro-Club de France.

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Tchaikovsky conducted the first public concert at the newly-built Music Hall in New York City.

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A fire broke out in Hamburg, Germany. It burned for over 100 hours, killed 51 people, and destroyed 1,700 homes.

OTD in 1842: A fire broke out in Hamburg
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Mary Kies became the first woman ever to acquire a patent.

She received her US patent for her method of weaving straw with silk.

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Prussia and Russia signed the Treaty of Saint Petersburg, which ended seven years of war between the two.

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During his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus spotted Jamaica and landed at Discovery Bay.

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Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, became the ruler of the Mongol Empire.

OTD in 1260: Kublai Khan

He reigned from 1260 until his death in 1294.

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Famous Births

Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Chris Brown? See what other famous people were born on this day.

1989

Chris Brown

American Singer

Age

36 years old

Born IN

Virginia, USA

1988

Adele

English Songwriter

Age

37 years old

Born IN

England, UK

1983

Henry Cavill

British Actor

Age

42 years old

Born IN

Channel Islands, UK

1818

Karl Marx

German Philosopher

Died On

Mar 14, 1883 (Age 64)

Born IN

Trier, Germany

1813

Søren Kierkegaard

Danish Philosopher

Died On

Nov 1, 1855 (Age 42)

Born IN

Copenhagen, Denmark

Birthday & Zodiac

Everyone who was born on May 5 shares the zodiac sign of Taurus.

Taurus is an earth sign represented by the bull. Taureans tend to be grounded and logical – they love routine, and like to be fully in control of their own comfort and surroundings.

People born in May all have the Emerald birthstone. The ancient Romans believed Emerald represented Venus, the Goddess of beauty and love. Traditionally, Emerald has been known to help heal people and keep illness away.

Those who were born on May 5th were likely conceived the previous year on August 12th.

A baby that is conceived on May 5, 2025, will be due around January 26, 2026.

Quotes

What is your favorite quote from May 5th? Here are the most noteworthy quotes said on this day in history.

1927

“A light here required a shadow there.”

Virginia Woolf

(English Writer)

Special Holidays

If you're looking to try something new today, here are some special holidays that might just give you an idea.

United States

National Nail Day

National Nail Day was founded by a UK company called Elegant Touch, which believes that everyone should be able to have beautiful nails without spending too much time or money. So celebrate today by posting a “nailfie,” along with the hashtag #NailDay!

United States

National Cartoonists Day

Some people look down on cartoons as a baser artform, but those people can take a hike. Cartoonists Day is a day to thank cartoonists for all the hard work they put into each and every strip. Read some cartoons today, and maybe even reach out to the cartoonist and thank them!

Fact Of The Day

Hand holding a pen poised above a blank spiral notebook

Some “erasable” pens don’t erase their ink. Instead, they use heat-sensitive ink that changes color to become “invisible” when friction is applied.

Days Until

Your countdown to 2025's upcoming special days!

  • Flag Day

    40 days

  • Juneteenth

    45 days

  • Independence Day

    60 days

  • Halloween

    179 days

  • Christmas Day

    234 days

May 4 May 6

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References

MLA

Ward, Luke. "May 5: Facts & Historical Events On This Day." FactstoryHub, 1 Jan. 2020, www.factstoryhub.com/day/may-5/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

APA

Ward, L. (2025, October 31). May 5: Facts & Historical Events On This Day. FactstoryHub. https://factstoryhub.com/day/may-5/

Chicago

Ward, Luke. "May 5: Facts & Historical Events On This Day." FactstoryHub, October 31, 2025. https://factstoryhub.com/day/may-5/.

About The Author

Luke Ward
Owner

Luke Ward is the owner of FactstoryHub. He has over 14 years of experience in researching, informative writing, fact-checking, SEO & web design. In his spare time, he loves to explore the world, drink coffee & attend trivia nights.

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