May 27 in History
May 27 is the birthday of Franco Colapinto (2003) and the anniversary of the death of Freddie Aguilar (2025). Below are famous birthdays, deaths, events for May 27, plus editor's picks and genealogy records.
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Emperor Dezong of Tang was born in 742, while Procopius, Roman usurper died in 366.
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Famous people born on May 27
Famous people who died on May 27
2024
Bill Walton (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American basketball player and sportscaster (1952–2024)
2020
Larry Kramer (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American playwright and gay rights activist (1935–2020)
2018
Gardner Dozois (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American science fiction author and editor (1947–2018)
2015
Nils Christie (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Norwegian sociologist and criminologist (1928–2015)
2014
Helma Sanders-Brahms (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
German film director, screenwriter, producer and actress (1940–2014)
2012
Simeon Daniel (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Simeon Daniel, Nevisian educator and politician, 1st Premier of Nevis (born 1934)
2011
Gil Scott-Heron (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American soul and jazz poet, musician and author (1949–2011)
What happened on May 27
- 2018
Maryland Flood Event: A flood occurs throughout the Patapsco Valley, causing one death, destroying the entire first floors of buildings on Main Street in Ellicott City, and causing cars to overturn.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2017
Andrew Scheer takes over after Rona Ambrose as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2016
Barack Obama is the first president of the United States to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and meet Hibakusha.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2014
The football club Kerala Blasters FC and its first supporters' group Manjappada are formed.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2006
The 6.4 Mw Yogyakarta earthquake shakes central Java with an MSK intensity of VIII (Damaging), leaving more than 5,700 dead and 37,000 injured.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2001
Members of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist separatist group, seize twenty hostages from an affluent island resort on Palawan in the Philippines; the hostage crisis would not be resolved until June 2002.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1999
Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-96, the first shuttle mission to dock with the International Space Station.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1998
Oklahoma City bombing: Michael Fortier is sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 for failing to warn authorities about the terrorist plot.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1997
The 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak occurs, spawning multiple tornadoes in Central Texas, including the F5 that killed 27 in Jarrell.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1996
First Chechen War: Russian president Boris Yeltsin meets with Chechen rebels for the first time and negotiates a cease-fire.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1988
Somaliland War of Independence: The Somali National Movement launches a major offensive against Somali government forces in Hargeisa and Burao, then the second- and third-largest cities of Somalia.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1984
The Danube–Black Sea Canal is opened, in a ceremony attended by the Ceaușescus. It had been under construction since the 1950s.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1980
The Gwangju Massacre: Airborne and army troops of South Korea retake the city of Gwangju from civil militias, killing at least 207 and possibly many more.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1977
A plane crash at José Martí International Airport in Havana, Cuba, kills 67.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1975
Dibbles Bridge coach crash near Grassington, in North Yorkshire, England, kills 33, the highest ever death toll in a road accident in the United Kingdom.
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 27
- 742 — Emperor Dezong of Tang (died 805)
- 1332 — Ibn Khaldun, Tunisian historian and theologian (died 1406)
- 1378 — Zhu Quan, Chinese military commander, historian and playwright (died 1448)
Died on May 27
- 366 — Procopius, Roman usurper (born 325)
- 398 — Murong Bao, emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan (born 355)
- 475 — Eutropius, bishop of Orange
Source: Wikipedia historical listings for May 27
Quick answers
Who was born on May 27? Franco Colapinto (2003), Jérémy Doku (2002), Abner Vinícius (2000).
Who died on May 27? Freddie Aguilar (2025), Elizabeth MacRae (2024), Bill Walton (2024).
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 27 historical article above.
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