Famous people born on May 1 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is May 1, you share it with Judy Collins, Tim McGraw, Wes Anderson — and you were born under Taurus, the sign of the steady, loyal, and a lover of life’s comforts.
Birthday basics for May 1
Taurus ♉
Zodiac sign
Emerald
Birthstone
Lily of the Valley
Birth flower
121st
Day of the year
May 1 is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years), with 244 days still to come.
Famous people born on May 1
Judy Collins — American folk singer known for 'Both Sides Now' (born 1939).
Tim McGraw — American country music star with over 40 number-one hits (born 1967).
Wes Anderson — American film director known for The Grand Budapest Hotel (born 1969).
Also sharing the day:
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (b. 1769) — British commander who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo and later served as prime minister.
Calamity Jane (b. 1852) — American frontierswoman and scout who became a legend of the Wild West.
Joseph Heller (b. 1923) — American novelist best known for the satirical classic Catch-22.
May 1 in history
1851 — Queen Victoria opened the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London.
1931 — The Empire State Building, then the world's tallest building, was dedicated in New York City.
1971 — Amtrak began operating intercity passenger train service across the United States.
1840 — The Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp, was issued in the United Kingdom.
1930 — The name "Pluto" was officially proposed for the newly discovered planet in a Lowell Observatory circular.
1956 — The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk was made available to the general public.
May 1 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is May 1?
Anyone born on May 1 is a Taurus — steady, loyal, and a lover of life’s comforts.
What is the birthstone for May 1?
The birthstone for a May 1 birthday is Emerald, and the birth flower is the Lily of the Valley.
Who is the most famous person born on May 1?
Judy Collins is among the best known — American folk singer known for 'Both Sides Now' (born 1939).
What happened on May 1?
In 1851, Queen Victoria opened the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London.
What day of the year is May 1?
May 1 is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years), with 244 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on May 1? See the full story of their exact birthday — the headlines, the #1 song, what things cost — and turn it into a personalized front-page newspaper they can keep.