May 4th in entertainment:

• 1920 - The Symphony Society of New York presented a concert at the Paris Opera House. This was the first time an American orchestra made a tour abroad to Europe.
• 1957 - Alan Freed hosts "Rock n' Roll Show" the 1st prime-time network rock show
• 1959 - The first year the Grammy Awards by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences are presented
• 1976 - The American band KISS performs their first concert

May 4th women in history:

• 1959 - Ella Fitzgerald wins first ever Grammy for Best Female Vocal Performance
• 1974 - An all-female Japanese team reaches the summit of Manaslu, in Nepal, becoming the first women to climb an 8,000 meter peak. It's the 8th highest mountain in the world.
• 1979 - Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• 1981 - Silvana Cruciata runs 15k for the female world record (49:44.0)

May 4th American history:

• 1855 - American explorer William Walker departs from San Francisco to conquer Nicaragua
• 1863 - During the Civil War, the Battle of Chancellorsville, ends with a Union retreat
• 1904 - Construction begins by the United States on the Panama Canal
• 1923 - New York state revokes Prohibition law

May 4th in literature:

• 1896 - The first edition of the London Daily Mail is released
• 1919- Hundreds of new periodicals publish attacks on Chinese traditions, turning to foreign ideas and ideologies. Some call it a "literary revolution" which popularized vernacular literature, promoted political participation by women, and educational reforms.
• 1953 - Ernest Hemingway is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for "The Old Man and the Sea"

May 4th birthdays:

• 1008 - King Henry I of France
• 1820 - Julia Tyler, First Lady of the United States
• 1929 - Audrey Hepburn, Anglo-Dutch actress
• 1951 - Mick Mars, American guitarist with the band Motley Crue