Did you know
Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in the United States in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread communist subversion.
Notable Deaths on May 2
1957 — Joseph McCarthy
American captain, lawyer, judge, and politician (born 1908)
May 2 has 116 recorded notable deaths across history, from 1203 BC to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
116 source records
1203 BC – 2025
Today in history
Major events on May 2
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1999 Panamanian general election: Mireya Moscoso becomes the first woman to be elected President of Panama. Source
- 1941 World War II: Following the coup d'état against Iraq Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah earlier that year, the United Kingdom launches the Anglo-Iraqi War to restore him to power. Source
- 1611 The King James Version of the Bible is published for the first time in London, England, by printer Robert Barker. Source
- 1194 King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first royal charter. Source
Did you know
Leonardo is widely regarded as a genius who epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal, and his collective works contributed to the development of European art to an extent rivalled only by that of his younger contemporary Michelangelo.
Did you know
President Calvin Coolidge first appointed Hoover as director of the BOI, the predecessor to the FBI, in 1924.
Did you know
During his 15 years at the studio, he directed 84 cartoons later deemed classic, and designed some of the studio's most famous characters, including Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and Tweety.
Did you know
Jack Kemp was the party's vice presidential nominee in the 1996 U.
More major people who died on May 2
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1519
Leonardo da Vinci
Italian painter, sculptor, and architect (born 1452)
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect.
1972
J. Edgar Hoover
American 1st director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (born 1895)
John Edgar Hoover was an American law enforcement administrator who served as the fifth and final director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) and the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
1984
Bob Clampett
American animator, director, and producer (born 1913)
Robert Emerson Clampett Sr. was an American animator, director, producer and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated series from Warner Bros.
2009
Jack Kemp
American football player and politician, 9th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (born 1935)
Jack French Kemp was an American politician, professional football player, and U.S. Army veteran who served as the ninth U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H. W.
1864
Giacomo Meyerbeer
German composer and educator (born 1791)
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Mozart and Wagner".
1880
Tom Wills
Australian cricketer, co-created Australian rules football (born 1835)
Thomas Wentworth Wills was an Australian sportsman who is credited with being Australia's first cricketer of significance and a founder of Australian rules football.
1918
Jüri Vilms
Estonian lawyer and politician (born 1889)
Jüri Vilms was a member of the Estonian Salvation Committee and the first Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia.
1946
Bill Denny
Australian journalist, lawyer, politician, and decorated soldier (born 1872)
William Joseph Denny was an Australian journalist, lawyer, politician and decorated soldier who held the South Australian House of Assembly seats of West Adelaide from 1900 to 1902 and then Adelaide from 1902 to 1905…
1564
Rodolfo Pio da Carpi
Italian cardinal (born 1500)
Rodolfo Pio di Savoia, often referred to as Rodolfo Pio da Carpi, was an Italian cardinal, humanist and patron of the arts.
1925
Johann Palisa
Austrian astronomer (born 1848)
Johann Palisa was an Austrian astronomer. He was a prolific discoverer of asteroids, discovering 122 in all, from 136 Austria in 1874 to 1073 Gellivara in 1923.
1940
Ernest Joyce
English explorer (born 1875)
Ernest Edward Mills Joyce AM was a Royal Naval seaman and explorer who participated in four Antarctic expeditions during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, in the early 20th century.
1979
Giulio Natta
Italian chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1903)
Giulio Natta was an Italian chemical engineer and Nobel laureate. Natta's work at Politecnico di Milano led to the improvement of earlier work by Karl Ziegler and to the development of the Ziegler–Natta catalyst.
2024
Peter Oosterhuis
English golfer and broadcaster (born 1948)
Peter Arthur Oosterhuis was an English professional golfer and broadcaster.
1997
Paulo Freire
Brazilian philosopher and academic (born 1921)
Paulo Reglus Neves Freire was a Brazilian educator and Marxist philosopher whose work has affected global thought on education.
907
Boris I of Bulgaria
Boris I, venerated as Saint Boris I (Mihail) the Baptizer, was the ruler (knyaz) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 852 to 889.
2014
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
American actor (born 1918)
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was an American actor and theatre producer.
1998
Justin Fashanu
English footballer (born 1961)
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997.
1986
Sergio Cresto
American race car driver (born 1956)
Sergio Cresto was the American co-driver of Finnish Henri Toivonen at the Lancia Martini team for the 1986 World Rally Championship season.
1300
Blanche of Artois (born 1248)
Blanche of Artois was Queen of Navarre and Countess of Champagne and Brie during her marriage to Henry I of Navarre. After his death she became regent in the name of their infant daughter, Joan I.