1. On May 20, 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed his airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, at the Washington D.C. airport following his historic solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris.
2. In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered its landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The decision was announced on May 17, but May 20 was the deadline for the school districts to begin desegregation.
3. The Washington Capitals made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals on May 20, 1998, but ultimately lost to the Detroit Red Wings in four games.
4. On May 20, 1971, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in Washington D.C. The opening gala was attended by President Richard Nixon and performances by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Bolshoi Ballet.
5. May 20, 1899 marks the official establishment of Rock Creek Park, a sprawling urban park that covers over 2,000 acres in D.C. It is one of the largest national parks in an urban area in the United States and boasts hiking trails, picnic areas, and a nature center.