May 22 in History
May 22 is the anniversary of the death of Richard A. Tapia (2026). Below are deaths, events for May 22, plus editor's picks and genealogy records.
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Itzam K'an Ahk I, Mayan king was born in 626, while Dong Zhuo, Chinese warlord and politician died in 192.
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Famous people who died on May 22
2015
Vladimir Katriuk (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Ukrainian-Canadian Nazi collaborator (1921–2015)
2011
Joseph Brooks (songwriter) (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American director and composer (1938–2011)
2010
Martin Gardner (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American mathematics and science writer (1914–2010)
2008
Robert Asprin (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American science fiction and fantasy author (1946–2008)
1997
Alfred Hershey (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American bacteriologist and geneticist (1908–1997)
What happened on May 22
- 2026
A gas explosion at a coal mine in Changzhi, Shanxi, leaves at least 82 people dead.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2021
Hypothermia kills 21 runners in the 100 km (60-mile) Gansu ultramarathon disaster in China.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2020
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashes in Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 98 people.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2017
Twenty-two people are killed at an Ariana Grande concert in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2017
United States President Donald Trump visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and becomes the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Western Wall.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2015
The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to utilise a public referendum to legalise gay marriage.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2014
General Prayut Chan-o-cha becomes interim leader of Thailand in a military coup d'état, following six months of political turmoil.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2014
An explosion occurs in Ürümqi, capital of China's far-western Xinjiang region, resulting in at least 43 deaths and 91 injuries.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2013
Fusilier Lee Rigby is murdered by two Islamic extremists in Woolwich, Southeast London.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2012
Tokyo Skytree opens to the public. It is the tallest tower in the world (634 m), and the third tallest man-made structure on Earth after Merdeka 118 (680.5 m) and Burj Khalifa (829.8 m).
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2012
SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 launches a Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket in the first commercial flight to the International Space Station.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2011
An EF5 tornado strikes Joplin, Missouri, killing 158 people and wreaking $2.8 billion in damages, the costliest and seventh-deadliest single tornado in U.S. history.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2010
Air India Express Flight 812, a Boeing 737 crashes over a cliff upon landing at Mangalore, India, killing 158 of 166 people on board, becoming the deadliest crash involving a Boeing 737 until the crash of Lion Air Flight 610.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2010
Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2–0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain to become the first, and so far only, Italian team to win the historic treble (Serie A, Coppa Italia, Champions League).
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2009
Metalworkers at a Ssangyong Motor plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, begin a strike to protest job cuts.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab)
Births, deaths and events from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).
Editor's picks
Born on May 22
- 626 — Itzam K'an Ahk I, Mayan king (died 686)
- 1009 — Su Xun, Chinese writer (died 1066)
- 1408 — Annamacharya, Hindu saint (died 1503)
Died on May 22
- 192 — Dong Zhuo, Chinese warlord and politician (born 138)
- 337 — Constantine the Great, Roman emperor (born 272)
- 748 — Empress Genshō of Japan (born 683)
Source: Wikipedia historical listings for May 22
Quick answers
Who died on May 22? Richard A. Tapia (2026), David Wilkie (swimmer) (2024), Dervla Murphy (2022).
Explore genealogy records
Researching someone born in May? Search birth records
Live genealogy events
This calendar is live and has its own date controls; it is separate from the May 22 historical article above.
Ancestry
Holiday Sale: 65% off AncestryDNA. Offer ends 11/19. Terms apply.
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Ancestry
AncestryDNA® with Traits
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