What Happened on May 30?

May 30 is National Mint Julep Day — and the date the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in 1922, the first Indianapolis 500 ran in 1911, and Americans first observed Decoration Day honoring Civil War dead.

• 1431 — Joan of Arc is executed at Rouen

  French heroine Joan of Arc — who had led armies against English invaders — was burned at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431, at about nineteen years old. Read the full story →

• 1593 — London theaters are ordered closed during plague

  On May 30, 1593, authorities shut London's playhouses as plague spread — pausing the career of young playwright William Shakespeare and other Elizabethan dramatists. Read the full story →

• 1868 — Americans observe the first national Decoration Day

  On May 30, 1868, General John A. Logan called for nationwide Decoration Day — placing flowers on Civil War graves, the ancestor of modern Memorial Day. Read the full story →

• 1911 — The first Indianapolis 500 automobile race is held

  Forty drivers started the inaugural Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 1911, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway — launching America's most famous auto race. Read the full story →

• 1922 — The Lincoln Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.

  On May 30, 1922, Chief Justice William Howard Taft presented the finished Lincoln Memorial — a Greek temple on the National Mall honoring the sixteenth president. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Mel Blanc (1908–1989) · Idina Menzel (1971) · Wynonna Judd (1964) · Benny Goodman (1909–1986)

Days & observances

National Mint Julep Day · National Water a Flower Day · National Creativity Day · World MS Day