May 24 in Pop Culture History

1775 – John Hancock was elected president of the Second Continental Congress.

1830 – Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale was published.

1844 – Samuel F.B. Morse sent the first public telegraph message – ‘What Hath God Wrought?’ through the Washington-to-Baltimore telegraph line.

1883 – The Brooklyn Bridge over the East River opened, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

1935 – The Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in Major League Baseball’s first-ever night game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1938 – A patent (#2,118,318) was issued for a Coin Controlled Parking Meter to Carl C. McGee of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1943 – Josef Mengele, the ‘Angel of Death’ began working at the Auschwitz, Poland concentration camp.

1966 – Mame (Broadway Musical) Opened on May 24, 1966, and closed on January 3, 1970

#1 Hit May 24, 1969 – June 27, 1969: The Beatles with Billy Preston – Get Back

#1 Hit May 24, 1975 – May 30, 1975: Earth, Wind & Fire – Shining Star

1976 – The Concorde began regular passenger service between Europe and Washington DC.

1991 – Thelma and Louise, starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, was released. Their car was a 1966 Ford Thunderbird.

1995 – ABC announced that an episode of All My Children was deleted from broadcast due to the recent Oklahoma City bombing. In the storyline, a character was supposed to explode a church where her ex was re-marrying.

#1 Hit May 24, 1997 – June 13, 1997: Hanson – MMMBop

2006 – Taylor Hicks won American Idol season five.

#1 Hit May 24, 2008 – June 27, 2008: Rihanna – Take a Bow