| Holiday name | Holiday location | Holiday type |
|---|---|---|
| International Day to End Obstetric Fistula | - | International (Health & Body, United Nations) |
| Labor Day / May Day | Jamaica | Public Holiday |
| Constitution Day | Germany | Observance |
| World Turtle Day | - | Unofficial (Animals) |
| National Lucky Penny Day | - | Unofficial (Fun & Joy) |
| National Taffy Day | - | Unofficial (Food & Drinks) |
| Day off for Commonwealth Day | Belize | Public Holiday |
| Victoria Day | Canada (All Except NS, PE, QC) | National Holiday |
| National Patriots' Day | Canada (Quebec) | Local Holiday |
| Vlach’s National Day (for Vlach community) | North Macedonia | Optional Holiday |
Historical Events on May 23
- 1533: The marriage between King Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon is annulled.
- 1568: The 80 Years War starts with the Duke of Arenberg – Jean de Ligne – being defeated by Dutch rebels led by Louis of Nassau at the Battle of Heiligerlee.
- 1609: The Second Virginia Charter is officially ratified.
- 1701: Captain William Kidd is hanged in London, England on this day. He had been charged with murdering William Moore and of committing piracy.
- 1788: South Carolina becomes the 8th American State to ratify the U.S Constitution.
- 1846: Mexican President Mariano Paredes declares war on the U.S.
- 1873: The NW Mounted Police is founded by the Canadian Parliament. This police force would eventually become the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- 1900: For his gallantry in saving the regimental colors during the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863, Sergeant William Harvey Carney – now 60-years old – is awarded the Medal of Honor.
- 1915: Italy fulfills it part of the Treaty Of London by joining the Allies during World War I.
- 1934: In the Bienville Parish in Louisiana, bank robbers Bonnie & Clyde are ambushed and killed by police in their car.
- 1995: The first JAVA programming language version is released to the public.
- 1998: The Good Friday Agreement is accepted in Northern Island with 3/4th of those voting, voting yes.
- 2013: In Mount Vernon in Washington, The Internet 5 Bridge collapses over the Skagit River.
- 2014: 7 people are killed and 14 others are injured during a killing spree near the University of California in Santa Barbara.
- 2015: Floods in Oklahoma and Texas kill almost 50 people on this day.
- 2016: Almost 50 people are killed by 2 suicide bombings in Aden, Yemen.
Famous Birthdays on May 23
- American actor, director and screenwriter, Douglas Fairbanks is born in 1883.
- Swedish novelist, poet, playwright and Nobel Prize laureate, Pär Lagerkvist is born in 1891.
- American physicist, engineer and Nobel Prize laureate, John Bardeen is born in 1908.
- American actress, singer and dancer, Betty Garrett is born in 1919.
- American actress Barbara Barrie is born in 1931.
- American actor and TV game show host, Drew Carey is born in 1958.
- American actress Karen Duffy is born in 1962.
