Famous people born on May 4th
May 4 brings together an unusually wide-ranging roster of innovators, performers, and public thinkers. The date spans Enlightenment-era literature through modern politics, journalism, and pop culture, with notable contributions in education, science, music, and film. From foundational ideas to instantly recognizable screen and stage work, these birthdays reflect both intellectual force and mainstream influence.
Notable highlights
- Audrey Hepburn (1929) - An enduring screen icon whose humanitarian work with UNICEF became as celebrated as her classic films.
- Thomas Huxley (1825) - Known as “Darwin’s bulldog”, he championed evolutionary theory and helped shape modern scientific education.
- Horace Mann (1796) - A driving force behind the American common-school movement, advocating public education as a civic cornerstone.
- W. Clement Stone (1902) - A major figure in sales and self-improvement publishing, popularizing success principles through business and media.
- Keith Haring (1958) - Turned bold, graphic street imagery into global contemporary art while engaging directly with social and health activism.
- Dick Dale (1937) - The “King of the Surf Guitar”, credited with pioneering a fast, reverb-heavy sound that influenced rock and beyond.
- Randy Travis (1959) - Helped revive traditional country in the 1980s with a baritone style that reset mainstream Nashville tastes.
- Will Arnett (1970) - Became a modern comedy staple through deadpan performances and distinctive voice work in animation.
- George Will (1941) - A prominent political columnist known for shaping American conservative commentary for decades.
- William Kingdon Clifford (1845) - A pioneering mathematician and philosopher whose ideas anticipated later developments in geometry and physics.
On this day
- 1776 - Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to the British Crown.
- 1886 - The Haymarket affair unfolds in Chicago amid labor protests, becoming a pivotal moment in the history of workers’ rights.
- 1949 - Italy joins the newly formed NATO alliance, marking a major postwar shift in European security.
- 1979 - Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first woman to hold the office.
- 1998 - Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski is sentenced to life in prison after a long-running domestic terror campaign.