National Daisy Day

William Harvey Carney received the Medal of Honor on May 23, 1900, for his extraordinary bravery during the Civil War. Although several Black American service members had already been presented with the award, Carney’s recognition honored actions that took place decades earlier, making him the first Black American to earn the distinction for wartime heroism. Born into slavery in Virginia in 1840, Carney later moved with his family to Massachusetts, where he eventually enlisted in the Union Army.

In 1863, Carney joined the famed 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, one of the first Black military units organized in the North. During the fierce assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, the regiment’s flag bearer was shot down in battle. Carney rushed forward to prevent the American flag from falling, carrying it despite suffering multiple gunshot wounds himself. He continued advancing while encouraging fellow soldiers forward and managed to keep the flag raised throughout the attack.

Severely injured, Carney survived the battle and was later honorably discharged from military service. Returning to Massachusetts, he built a quieter life working for the postal service and serving as a messenger at the Massachusetts State House. His courage at Fort Wagner became one of the most celebrated stories of the Civil War and secured his place in American military history.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were killed by law enforcement officers on May 23, 1934, near Sailes, bringing an end to one of the most infamous crime sprees of the Great Depression era. The pair met in Texas when Bonnie was just 19 years old, and their relationship quickly became tied to Clyde’s growing criminal activity. After helping Clyde during one of his early prison sentences, Bonnie eventually joined him on the run, and together they launched a multi-state robbery spree that captured headlines across America.

Over the next two years, the so-called Barrow Gang robbed banks, stores, and gas stations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Mexico, and Louisiana. The gang included several accomplices, among them Clyde’s brother Buck Barrow and longtime associate Raymond Hamilton. To police, Bonnie and Clyde were dangerous fugitives responsible for numerous killings, including the deaths of law enforcement officers. Yet during the hardships of the Depression, many members of the public viewed the glamorous young couple as rebellious folk heroes, helped in part by widely circulated photographs showing them posing playfully with guns and stolen cars.

Following several close calls and violent shootouts, retired Texas Ranger Frank Hamer was recruited to track the fugitives down. After months of investigation, Hamer and a team of Texas and Louisiana officers located the couple near the home of gang member Henry Methvin’s family in Louisiana. Before sunrise on May 23, officers concealed themselves along a rural road and opened fire when Bonnie and Clyde drove into the ambush. Their deaths ended the bloody career of the Barrow Gang, though the legend of the outlaw couple continued to grow for decades afterward, especially following the release of the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty.

A massive earthquake measuring 9.5 in magnitude struck off the coast of Chile on May 22, 1960, triggering one of the most destructive tsunamis ever recorded. The powerful undersea quake caused a huge displacement of ocean water, sending waves racing across the Pacific Ocean at speeds exceeding 400 miles per hour. While the earthquake itself devastated Chile and claimed thousands of lives, the tsunami continued outward toward distant coastlines, including Hawaii and Japan.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning System successfully detected the approaching danger and issued alerts to Hawaii several hours before impact. Despite the warnings, some residents ignored evacuation advice, while others gathered near the shoreline to watch the incoming wave. When the tsunami reached the city of Hilo on May 23, enormous waves estimated at 35 feet high slammed into the bay, destroying buildings, sweeping vehicles out to sea, and tearing apart the waterfront. The disaster killed 61 people in Hilo alone and caused widespread destruction across the island.

After striking Hawaii, the tsunami continued westward across the Pacific. More than a day after the original earthquake, the waves reached Japan, where coastal communities on the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido suffered severe damage despite advance warnings. The tsunami killed approximately 180 people there, left tens of thousands homeless, and caused extensive property damage. The event remains one of the deadliest Pacific-wide tsunami disasters of the 20th century and reinforced the importance of international tsunami warning systems.