May 22 is Buy a Musical Instrument Day
National Vanilla Pudding Day
On May 22, 1807, a Grand Jury indicted former Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr on a charge of treason. He was acquitted.
Birthday of Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813), German composer famous for his operas, “Tännhauser”, and “Lohengrin”. Part of the third Act of Lohengrin is better known as “Here Comes the Bride” or “The Wedding March”.
Birthday of Mary Cassatt (May 22, 1844), American artist noted for her pictures of mothers and children. Examples of her work can be viewed at Wikiart: Mary Cassatt
In 1849, Abraham Lincoln was issued a patent for an invention to lift boats over obstacles in a river, the only patent ever issued to a U.S. President.
On this day in 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made attacking Southerners who sympathized with the pro-slavery violence in Kansas (“Bleeding Kansas”).
Birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859), British novelist known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Amnesty Act into law in 1872, restoring full civil and political rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers.
In 1906, the Wright brothers are granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their “Flying-Machine”.
May 22, 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the goals of his Great Society social reforms to bring an “end to poverty and racial injustice” in America.
May 22, 1972 – Ceylon changes its name to Sri Lanka and became a Republic.
May 22, 1980 – The Pac-man game is released.