On May 4, 1998, the first version of the popular computer game 'StarCraft' was released in South Korea, becoming a significant part of esports culture.

On May 4, 1970, the Kent State shootings occurred when Ohio National Guardsmen fired into a crowd of students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine.

On May 4, 1961, the Freedom Riders, a group of civil rights activists, began their journey to challenge segregation in interstate bus terminals in the southern United States.