Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996)

"First Lady of Song" Ella Fitzgerald becomes the first Black
woman to win a Grammy at the Recording Academy’s inaugural
awards show on May 4, 1959.

During the event at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Fitzgerald
took home two of 28 awards for best jazz and female vocal
performances. “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song
Book” bested performances by Doris Day, Eydie Gorme, Peggy
Lee and Keely Smith for best female vocal performance.

In contrast “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book”
won for jazz performance.

That year, Count Basie became the first Black man to win a
Grammy, also taking home two awards, for best jazz group
performance and best performance by a dance band.

This photo provided by Guinness World Records shows
Pearl, the world’s shortest living dog, with Reginald, the
world’s tallest living dog, both certified by Guinness World Records, during a playdate in Idaho Falls, Idaho, April 5,
2025.  (Natalie Behring/Guinness World Records via AP)

The pair, while an unlikely duo, got along surprisingly
well during their two-day visit, according to Pearl’s
owner, Vanesa Semler.

"For me, [it] was a huge, pleasant surprise from day
one because Reggie is like Pearl in [a] bigger size,"
Semler said. "He is so gentle, so friendly."

Reggie’s owner, Sam Johnson Reiss, said the Great
Dane is more of a people person but enjoyed the
playdate.

SANDY KOZEL

DiMaggio’s major-league debut came on May 3,
1936, in a game at Yankee Stadium against the
St. Louis Browns.

DiMaggio played 64 games in left field, 54 in
center field, and 20 in right field in 1936 before
taking over as the full-time center fielder in 1937.

DiMaggio struck out 39 times in 1936, the highest
season total of his career, during which he struck
out only 369 times in 6,821 at-bats.

On May 3, 1942, during World War II, the first modern naval
engagement in history, the Battle of the Coral Sea, began. A
Japanese invasion force succeeds in occupying Tulagi of the
Solomon Islands in an expansion of Japan’s defensive perimeter.

The United States, having broken Japan’s secret war code and forewarned of an impending invasion of Tulagi and Port Moresby,
attempted to intercept the Japanese armada.

The American aircraft carrier USS Lexington explodes on 8
May 1942, several hours after being damaged by a Japanese carrier air attack.

John Edgar Hoover (January 1, 1895 – May 2, 1972)

After nearly five decades as director of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, J. Edgar Hoover died, leaving the powerful
government agency without the administrator who had been
largely responsible for its existence and shape.

Educated as a lawyer and a librarian, Hoover joined the
Department of Justice in 1917 and within two years had
become special assistant to Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer.

May 20, 1972