May 31st is officially No Tobacco Day and Save Your Hearing Day.
Welcome to day 151 of 365! There are 214 days left in 2025.
Let’s finish the month off with finding out what made this day a special one throughout history. Here we have a bunch of interesting facts and historical events that all happened on this day throughout history.
Did you know that on this day in 1935, 20th Century Fox was founded? The company was formed after a merger of the Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures.
Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about May 31st in history!
Events
What memorable events happened on May 31 in history? Keep reading to find out!
2008
The Discovery Space Shuttle was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-124.
The mission’s primary payload was the Japanese Kibō Experiment Module, which the shuttle ferried to the International Space Station (ISS). It’s the largest single module ever installed on the ISS. It was astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff’s first mission, and he brought the first bagels into space!
2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the 3rd film based on the books by J. K. Rowling, was released in UK cinemas.
1970
A 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Peru, killing as many as 70,000 people.
The 45-second earthquake occurred at 3:23 PM, and although its epicenter was actually off the coast of Peru, the damage was still extreme. Its area of effect was 32,000 square miles, but most of the damage came from a resulting landslide. The landslide buried the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca, where most of the casualties were found.
1942
Imperial Japan began a series of submarine attacks on Sydney.
On the night of May 31, three Japanese midget-class submarines entered Sydney Harbour to destroy any aircraft carriers or battleships they came across. Two were detected and taken out of action before they could do any damage. The third missed its target, the USS Chicago, sinking a ferry instead.
1223
Battle of the Kalka River occurred.
The Mongol armies of Genghis Khan, led by Subutai, defeated the Rus army. The Mongols won by pretending to retreat, which spread out the Rus army. When the Mongols assumed battle formation on the Kalka River, the Rus army attacked without waiting for the rest of their spread apart army.
Famous Births
Is today your birthday? If so, did you know that Colin Farrell was also born on this day? Here are more famous people born on this day.
1996
Normani
American
Singer
Age:
28 years old
Born In:
Georgia, USA
1930
Clint Eastwood
American
Actor
Age:
94 years old
Born In:
California, USA
1980
Andy Hurley
American
Musician
Age:
44 years old
Born In:
Wisconsin, USA
1976
Colin Farrell
Irish
Actor
Age:
48 years old
Born In:
Dublin, Ireland
Quotes
Below you’ll find the most popular things people have said or written on this day throughout history.
1955
Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.
Helen Keller
American Author
Special Holidays
If you can spare some time today, here are some unique holidays you could get involved with.
World No Tobacco Day
Smoking becomes less popular year on year, and there are fewer smokers now than ever before. Today is No Tobacco Day, so use this day to inform yourself of the dangers smoking brings. Or maybe you might even choose this day as the day you quit for good!
National Save Your Hearing Day
Listening to music too loud or working with loud machinery can do some serious damage to your hearing, and we’re all a little guilty doing this. Save Your Hearing Day is here to remind us to be more careful, so turn down your volume or put on some earplugs, at least for today!
THe Fact Site’s
Fun Fact Of The Day
The first jet aircraft was invented in Nazi Germany. Development started in 1936, but the first takeoff occurred in 1939.
Birthday & Zodiac
Everyone who was born on May 31 shares the star sign of Gemini.
Gemini is represented by twins and is the third sign in the zodiac. Anyone who was born between May 21 and June 20 falls into this astrological sign.
Emerald is the birthstone given to people born in May. The Emerald birthstone symbolizes spiritual awareness while providing protection, a love-filled life, and great wisdom.
If you were born on May 31st, you were likely conceived on the week of September 7th in the previous year.
A baby that is conceived on this day will be due around February 21st, 2026.
