Dashed left edge = started before May 1920 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond May 1920
Events in May 1920 5
1837 – 1920William Dean Howells (1837-1920)Died 11 May 1920, aged 83American novelist, literary critic, and editor known as the "Dean of American Letters" for his influence on realist fiction. He edited the Atlantic Monthly and championed writers including Mark Twain and Henry James. His own novels include "The Rise of Silas Lapham."
1859 – 1920Venustiano Carranza (1859-1920)Died 21 May 1920, aged 60Mexican revolutionary leader who served as president of Mexico from 1917 to 1920 and oversaw the drafting of the 1917 constitution. He was killed while fleeing forces loyal to rebel generals who had risen against him. His death marked the end of the constitutionalist phase of the Mexican Revolution.
1920Sacco and Vanzetti ArrestedAnarchists charged in Massachusetts robbery-murder caseItalian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were arrested in Massachusetts and charged with robbery and murder. Their trial and eventual 1927 execution became an international cause celebre, with many believing they were convicted for their political beliefs and immigrant origins rather than the evidence. The case remains a landmark episode in debates over justice and prejudice in America.
1920 – 2005Pope John Paul IIKarol WojtyłaThe first Polish Pope, whose 1979 visit to Poland helped spark the movement that ended Communism.
1920 – 2002Peggy Lee (1920-2002)Died 21 January 2002, aged 81Peggy Lee was an American singer and songwriter known for a cool, understated delivery on hits such as 'Fever' and 'Is That All There Is'. She rose to fame with the Benny Goodman orchestra in the early 1940s before a long solo career. She also co-wrote songs for Disney's Lady and the Tramp and voiced several of its characters.