| Date | Weekday | Event |
|---|
| May 2, 1519 | Friday | Leonardo da Vinci dies (birth date unknown) |
|
| May 2, 1583 | Monday | Leonardo da Vinci Day |
| May 2, 1670 | Friday | Hudson Bay Company founded |
| May 2, 1780 | Tuesday | William Herschel discovers 1st binary star - Xi Ursae Majoris |
| May 2, 1817 | Friday | Reds & Cubs pitch a dual no-hitter |
| May 2, 1863 | Saturday | South defeats North in Battle of Chancellorsville - Va |
| May 2, 1881 | Monday | Pres Garfield assassinated |
| May 2, 1885 | Saturday | Congo Free State established by King Leopold II of Belgium |
| May 2, 1890 | Friday | Okla Territory created |
| May 2, 1925 | Saturday | Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park opens |
| May 2, 1939 | Tuesday | Lou Gehrig ends 2 -130 game streak - Yankees beat Tigers 22-2 |
| May 2, 1945 | Wednesday | Russia takes Berlin |
| May 2, 1946 | Thursday | Prisoners revolt at Alcatraz - 5 die |
| May 2, 1954 | Sunday | Stan Musial hits 5 HRs in a doubleheader |
| May 2, 1956 | Wednesday | US Lab detects high-temperature microwave radiation from Venus |
| May 2, 1960 | Monday | Caryl Chessman executed in Calif for kidnapping |
| May 2, 1968 | Thursday | Israelli television begins |
| May 2, 1984 | Wednesday | Mattingly's single broke up Lamarr Hoyt's perfect game bid |
| May 2, 1986 | Friday | Transportation Expo 86 opens in Vancouver - BC |