May 16

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2024 Daily Holidays that fall on May 16, include:

• Biographer's Day 
• Brown Bag It Thursday - May 16, 2024 (Third Thursday in May)
• Global Accessibility Awareness Day - May 16, 2024 (Third Thursday in May)
• International Pickle Day 
• Love a Tree Day 
• National Aperitif Day - May 16, 2024 (Third Thursday in May)
• National Coquilles St. Jacques Day 
• National Mimosa Day 
• National Notebook Day - May 16, 2024 (Third Thursday in May)
• National Piercing Day 
• National Sea Monkey Day 
• Nickel Day 
• Wear Purple for Peace Day 

2024 Weekly Holidays that include May 16, are:

• American Craft Beer Week - May 13-19, 2024
• Armed Forces Week - May 11-18, 2024 (Second Saturday to Third Saturday in May)
• Food Allergy Awareness Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second Full Week in May)
• Frog Jumping Jubilee Day (Calaveras County, CA) - May 16-19, 2024
• Hospital Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second Full Week of May)
  
• International Coaching Week - May 13-19, 2024
• National Bike to Work Week - May 13-19, 2024 
• National Charter Schools Week - May 13-17, 2024
• National Etiquette Week - May 13-19, 2024 (Begins Second Monday of Full Week in May)
• National Foul Ball Week - May 16-21
• National Hospital Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second week in May)
  
• National Police Week - May 12-18, 2024
  
• National Prevention Week - May 12-18, 2024
• National Public Gardens Week - May 10-19, 2024 (Friday before to the Sunday after Mother's Day)
  
• National Return to Work Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second Full Week in May)
• National Salvation Army Week - May 13-19, 2024
• National Skilled Nursing Care Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Starts on Mother's Day to Following Saturday)
• National Stationary Week - May 13-19, 2024
• National Stuttering Awareness Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second Full Week in May)
• National Transportation Week - May 16-22, 2024 (Always has Third Friday in May)
• National Women's Health Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Week Starting With Mother's Day)
  
• Prepare Tomorrow's Parents Month - May 12 - June 16, 2024 (Mother's Day to Father's Day)
• Reading is Fundamental Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Second Full Week in May) 
  
• Salute to Moms 35+ Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Starts on Mother's Day)
• Universal Family Week - May 10-16
  
• Work at Home Mom's Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Starts on Mother's Day)
• World Trade Week - May 12-18, 2024 (Third Week in May)

2024 Monthly Holidays that include May 16, are:

There are too many monthly holidays to include here, so please check out our May Holidays page to see all of the holidays that are celebrated the entire month of May.

NOTE:

1. A page on each holiday will be coming soon and linked above.
2. If a date is a movable holiday, that is different every year, I'll include the year as well as the date rule above. Otherwise, the holiday falls on the same date each year.

World Festivals and Events
(Date Order)

• PGA Championship - May 13-19, 2024
• Cannes International Film Festival - May 14-25, 2024 in Cannes, France is the most prestigious and most publicized film festival in the World.
• National Morel Mushroom Festival - May 16-19, 2024 (Weekend after Mother's Day)

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for May 16 is Taurus.

Birth Flower of the Month

The Birth Flower(s) for the Month for May are:

• The Lily of the Valley - Humility, Chastity and Sweetness - signifies a return to happiness
• Hawthorn

Birthstone

The Birthstone(s) for May is the Emerald which is a symbol of rebirth and is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth.

Famous Birthdays

• 1824 - Levi Parsons Morton, American politician and 22nd U.S. Vic President from 1889-1893 (d. 1920 on May 16, the same day that he was born!)
• 1831 - David Edward Hughes, Welsh-American scientist and inventor of the microphone and teleprinter
• 1905 - Henry Fonda, American actor, singer, and producer (On Golden Pond) (d. 1982)
• 1919 - Liberace, American singer, pianist, and actor (Batman) (d. 1987)
• 1928 - Billy Martin - American baseball player and coach (NY Yankees, Oakland A's) (d. 1989)
• 1953 - Pierce Brosnan, Irish actor and producer (Remington Steele, The Thomas Crown Affair, James Bond Movies)
• 1955 - Debra Winger - American actress - (Urban Cowboy, An Officer and a Gentleman)
• 1959 - Mare Winningham, American actress and singer (St. Elmo's Fire, Hatfield's & McCoy's)
• 1966 - Janet Jackson, American singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, and actress 
• 1970 - Danielle Spencer - Australian singer, songwriter, and actress
• 1986 - Megan Fox - American actress and model (Transformers)

Famous Deaths

• 1920 - Levi Parsons Morton, American politician and 22nd U.S. Vic President from 1889-1893 (b. 1824 on May 16th, the same day that he died!)
• 1956 - H.B. Reese, American candy maker who created Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (b. 1876)
• 1957 - Eliot Ness, American federal agent who was the leader of a team of law enforcement agents nicknamed The Untouchables
• 1984 - Andy Kaufman, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (Taxi) (b. 1949)
• 1984 - Irwin Shaw, American author, playwright, and screenwriter (Rich Man, Poor Man) (b. 1913)
• 1990 - Sammy Davis, Jr. - American singer, dancer, and actor (b. 1925)
• 1990 - Jim Henson, American puppeteer, director, screenwriter, and producer (Sesame Street, Muppet Show)

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1770 - Marie Antoinette marries future King Louis XVI of France
• 1836 - US writer/poet Edgar Allan Poe marries his 13 year old first cousin Virginia Eliza Clemm
• 1987 - David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young marries Jan Dance

Quote of the Day

Jim Henson passed away on this day, May 16, in 1990.  His legacy of Sesame Street and the Muppet Show lives on!

Healthy Diet Habit Tip of the Day 
or a Recipe of the Day

Photo above used with permission from the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)

National Women's Health Week is during May 12-18, 2024.  The Holidays and Observances Healthy Diet Habits Tip for May 16th is to look at the effects of Stress on Pregnancy and to look at some Stress and Pregnancy Tips from Kerry of Healthy Diet Habits. (link goes to Kerry's Healthy Diet Habits website)

One of Kerry's suggested tips is to schedule frequent Prenatal Massages. My daughter Brie specializes in Prenatal and Labor Massage - so here is her list of the Prenatal Massage Benefits (Link goes to Brie's website)

This Day in History

• 1568 - Mary, Queen of Scots, flees to England
• 1817 - Steamboat service begins on the Mississippi River
• 1843 - The first major wagon train sets out on the Oregon Trail from Elm Grove, Missouri
• 1866 - Charles Elmer Hires invents root beer
• 1866 - The U.S. Congress replaces the half dime coin with the nickel
• 1868 - The U.S. Senate fails to impeach President Andrew Johnson by one vote
• 1874 - The 1st recorded dam disaster happens in the U.S. when a flood on the Mill River in Massachusetts destroys much of four villages and kills 139 people
• 1891 - George A. Hormel & Co. debut SPAM
• 1910 - The U.S. Bureau of Mines was formed
• 1918 - The U.S. Congress passes the Sedition Act of 1918 making criticism of the government during wartime an imprisonable offense
• 1920 - In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonizes Joan of Arc
• 1939 - Food stamps are 1st issued
• 1948 - Chaim Weizmann is elected the 1st President of Israel
• 1965 - The Campbell Soup Company introduces Spaghetti-O's
• 1986 - Top Gun staring Tom Cruise premieres
• 1988 - U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop reports that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine
• 1991 - Queen Elizabeth Ii becomes the 1st British monarch to address the U.S. Congress
• 2003 - In Casablanca, Morocco, 33 civilians are killed and more than 100 people are injured in the Casablanca terrorist attacks
• 2013 - Bill Gates becomes the world's richest man for the second time with a reported net worth of $72.7 billion

This Day in Music

• 1946 - The musical Annie Get Your Gun starring Ethel Merman debuts in New York City
• 1964 - My Guy by Mary Wells hits #1
• 1966 - Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys is released
• 1970 - The Deju Vu album from Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young hits #1 on the album charts
• 1975 - Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney and Wings hits #1
• 1980 - Paul McCartney releases his McCartney II album
• 1987 - With or Without You by U2 hits #1 on the US singles chart (video below)
• 2009 - Together Through Life from Bob Dylan hits #1 on the US album chart

Above, is With or Without You from U2, hit #1 on this day, May 16, 1987. It was the first song that I ever heard from U2, who are still one of my top favorite bands.

Please check out our Music Holidays page!

This Day in Sports

• 1869 - Cincinnati Reds play their 1st baseball game and win 41-7
• 1914 - The first National Challenge Cup final is played (soccer)
• 1914 - The American Horseshoe Pitchers Association organizes in Kansas City
• 1927 - NY Yankee Bob Meusel steals 2nd base, 3rd base, and Home!
• 1975 - First woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest is Junko Tabei
• 1985 - Michael Jordan is named NBA Rookie of the Year

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!