What Happened on May 23?

May 23 is World Turtle Day — and the date Bonnie and Clyde were killed in 1934, Joan of Arc was captured in 1430, and the first organized auto race in the U.S. was held in 1895.

• 1430 — Joan of Arc is captured at Compiègne during the Hundred Years' War

  French warrior Joan of Arc — who had helped lift the siege of Orléans — was captured by Burgundian forces on May 23, 1430, outside Compiègne. Read the full story →

• 1701 — Privateer Captain William Kidd is hanged in London for piracy

  Scottish sailor William Kidd was executed at Execution Dock in London on May 23, 1701, after a trial for piracy and murder during a troubled voyage in the Indian Ocean. Read the full story →

• 1895 — Chicago hosts the first organized automobile race in the United States

  On May 23, 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald sponsored a 54-mile race from Chicago to Evanston and back — won by Frank Duryea's motor wagon. Read the full story →

• 1915 — Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary, entering World War I

  On May 23, 1915, Italy joined the Allied side against Austria-Hungary — opening a brutal mountain front in the Alps. Read the full story →

• 1934 — Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are killed by law enforcement in Louisiana

  The notorious outlaw couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow died in a police ambush near Sailes, Louisiana, on May 23, 1934, ending a two-year crime spree across the Central United States. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Carol Burnett (1933) · Jewel (1974) · Drew Carey (1958) · Joan Collins (1933)

Days & observances

World Turtle Day · National Taffy Day · National Lucky Penny Day · International Day to End Obstetric Fistula