May 10th
1775
Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British.
1818
American patriot Paul Revere died in Boston.
1863
Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died after being accidentally shot by his own troops.
1865
Union forces captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Irwinville, Ga.
1869
The United States’ first transcontinental railroad was completed with a ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah.
1924
J. Edgar Hoover became director of the FBI.
1940
Winston Churchill succeeded Neville Chamberlain as British prime minister.
1983
The last episode of "Laverne & Shirley" aired on ABC.
1994
Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president.
1994
The state of Illinois executed convicted serial killer John Wayne Gacy for the murders of 33 young men and boys.
Birthdays
79 Pat Summerall Sportscaster
71 Henry Fambrough R&B singer (The Spinners)
67 Jim Calhoun Announcer ("Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In")
66 David Clennon Actor
65 Jim Abrahams Writer, director ("Airplane!")
63 Dave Mason Rock singer (Traffic)
58 Ron Banks R&B singer (The Dramatics)
56 Tito Santana Professional wrestler
54 Mark David Chapman Murderer of John Lennon
52 Bruce Penhall Actor ("CHiPs")
50 Victoria Rowell Actress
49 Bono Rock singer (U2)
48 Danny Carey Rock musician (Tool)
42 Young MC Rapper
41 Erik Palladino Actor
41 Richard Patrick Rock singer (Filter)
37 David Wallace Country musician
32 Jesse Vest Rock musician
31 Kenan Thompson Actor ("Saturday Night Live")
24 Odette Yustman Actress
26 John Wilkes Booth 5/10/1838 - 4/26/1865 American actor; assassinated President Abraham Lincoln
81 Sir Thomas Lipton 5/10/1850 - 10/2/1931 Scottish-born English merchant; built Lipton tea empire
88 Fred Astaire 5/10/1899 - 6/22/1987 American dancer and actor
21 Sid Vicious 5/10/1957 - 2/2/1979 English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols