On This Day for May 12 - First flight over the North Pole, Katharine Hepburn is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. May 12 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Katharine Hepburn READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1926 First flight over the North Pole READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2008: A massive earthquake struck Sichuan province in China, causing great destruction and killing some 90,000 people. [ Test your knowledge of natural disasters.] 1972: The British rock group the Rolling Stones released Exile on Main Street , a double album that is considered one of their defining works. [Take our quiz about rock music and rock and roll.] 1846: The ill-fated Donner party left Independence, Missouri, for California; months later the group became trapped in the Sierra Nevada and some members reportedly resorted to cannibalism when the food ran out. [Learn about the history of cannibalism.] 1949: The Soviet Union lifted its blockade of Berlin. [ Watch an overview of the Soviet blockade of Berlin.] 1937: King George VI of the United Kingdom was crowned following the abdication of Edward VIII. [ Test your knowledge of the kings of England.] 1925: American baseball player, manager, and coach Yogi Berra was born in St. Louis, Missouri. [How much do you know about baseball?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1907 Katharine Hepburn American actress 1937 George Carlin American comedian 1820 Florence Nightingale British nurse, statistician, and social reformer 1975 Jonah Lomu New Zealand rugby union football player 1928 Burt Bacharach American songwriter and pianist 1968 Tony Hawk American skateboarder SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help