May 4
5 moments across history
Gaza–Jericho Agreement
On May 4, 1994, Israel and the PLO signed the Gaza–Jericho Agreement in Cairo. The pact put the 1993 Oslo Accords into effect and established the Palestinian Authority. It transferred civil and security control in Gaza and Jericho to Palestinian hands. The deal created the first Palestinian governing institutions in the occupied territories since 1967.
Gaza–Jericho Agreement
Gaza–Jericho Agreement
Gaza–Jericho Agreement
Year: 1994
On May 4, 1994, Israel and the PLO signed the Gaza–Jericho Agreement in Cairo. The pact put the 1993 Oslo Accords into effect and established the Palestinian Authority. It transferred civil and security control in Gaza and Jericho to Palestinian hands. The deal created the first Palestinian governing institutions in the occupied territories since 1967.
Restoration of Latvian Independence — May 4 Declaration
Restoration of Latvian Independence — May 4 Declaration
Year: 1990
On May 4, 1990, Latvia's Supreme Council adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence. It asserted Latvia's 1918 statehood had never ceased and its Soviet incorporation was invalid. The act reinstated the pre-war Constitution while Soviet structures still operated on Latvian territory. It was part of the Baltic 'Singing Revolution' and laid the foundation for Latvia's independence in 1991.
The First Grammy Awards Ceremony
The First Grammy Awards Ceremony
Year: 1959
On May 4, 1959, the inaugural Grammy Awards celebrated the best in recorded music at the Beverly Hilton. The ceremony honored both artistic vision and studio craftsmanship in the era of high-fidelity stereo. Winners included Henry Mancini for 'The Music from Peter Gunn' and Ella Fitzgerald. The event launched what would become music's most prestigious annual honor.
The Freedom Riders Depart Washington, D.C.
The Freedom Riders Depart Washington, D.C.
Year: 1961
On May 4, 1961, thirteen civil rights activists departed Washington, D.C. as Freedom Riders. They set out to challenge segregation in interstate bus and rail terminals across the South. Despite Supreme Court rulings outlawing segregation in interstate travel, Jim Crow laws remained enforced. Their direct-action campaign became a defining moment in the American civil rights movement.
The United States Takes Over the Panama Canal Project
The United States Takes Over the Panama Canal Project
Year: 1904
On May 4, 1904, the United States assumed control of the abandoned French Panama Canal project. The French effort had collapsed under disease, debt, and the enormity of excavating a sea-level passage. American engineers arrived with modern sanitation science and revolutionary lock-based engineering. The decade-long construction epic would ultimately connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.