May 5, 1864

1864 Sherman launched his Atlanta Campaign as more than 100,000 Union soldiers began their march into Georgia.

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May 5, 1865

1865 Union Col. B.B.Eggleston designated Capt. William G. Lawder as provost-marshal of Atlanta. Eggleston also issued his first order to the citizens of Atlanta: "All persons in and about Atlanta, Ga., in possession of intoxicating liquors of any kind, are hereby prohibited from selling or giving the same to any soldier, whatever, under penalty of forfeiture of all liquors found in their possession."

May 5, 1870

1870 Educator and civil rights activist George Alexander Towns was born in Albany, Georgia. Towns became interested in Atlanta University when one of the school’s graduates taught him as a six-year old. At age fifteen, Towns enrolled in Atlanta University, graduating in 1894, then earning a degree from Harvard in 1900. Towns immediately joined the faculty at Atlanta University, where he remained for forty years. Towns was primarily a teacher, but also acted as a fund raiser, coach, club sponsor, and editor of the alumni magazine. Besides his academic endeavors, Towns also worked diligently for civil rights. He was an active member of the NAACP and strongly encouraged black voter registration. He refused to accept segregation in public transportation, choosing to ride a bicycle to work instead. Even after his retirement from Atlanta University he continued to be an advocate for civil rights. He died in Atlanta on December 20, 1960, just before his and so many others’ work was beginning to gain fruition.

May 5, 1913

1913 Lemmie Quinn, foreman of Mary Phagan’s work area at the National Pencil Factory, testified he saw Leo Frank the Saturday of the murder and that all was perfectly normal. Furthermore he knew Frank well and was certain that he was not guilty of the murder. But detectives accused him of accepting a bribe from Frank to make those statements, an accusation Quinn firmly denied. Meanwhile several witnesses had come forward to say they had seen a girl resembling Phagan at the Confederate Memorial Day parade that Saturday afternoon; she appeared to be drugged. So the decision was made to exhume Phagan’s body and examine her stomach for signs of drugs.

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May 5, 1925

1925 Ty Cobb went 6 for 6 -- including three homers, a double, and two singles -- to give the Detroit Tigers a win over the St. Louis Browns.

May 5, 1933

1933 The Tybee National Wildlife Refuge was established.