To report an error when this list is currently on the Main Page, see Main Page errors. Please remember that this list defers to the supporting articles, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding May 30 article, see Talk:May 30 instead.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?
A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.
As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.
Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.
Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.
Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?
Q3: This page seems to be biased toward events based in [Insert country or region here]. What can be done about it?
A3: This again is attributed to the systemic bias of Wikipedia. Many users are generally more interested in working on good, well-written articles pertaining to their home country. Since this is the English Wikipedia, there will be more English-speaking users, and thus more articles pertaining to English-speaking countries. And if there are more users who are from the United States, there will probably be more well-written articles about events based in the United States. Again, if you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.
Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?
A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.
Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?
A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.
Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?
A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:
Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.
"1914 – RMS Aquitania, the last surviving four-funnel ocean liner, departed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to New York City." Problems: seems trivial - what's so special about the last of this class departing that day? It's one thing to see something about Titanic, but this is trivia. Perhaps if this was the last ever voyage of such a class, but still, this seems like further trivia. Ship sailed, nobody cared then, and nobody seems to be declaring this event as major today. Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| reply here06:50, 30 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Darul Uloom Deoband in OTD
I guess it is worth to be mentioned on the OTD section of mainpage. I don't know how it works but this famous seminary where the Deobandi movement began turns 155 today. It was established on 30 May 1866. Can someone do it? Thanks. ─ The Aafī on Mobile(talk)06:59, 30 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Hi all, I reverted a recent change to May 30 made by @Gerda Arendt, and left a comment on her talk page. She has asked some questions which I have briefly answered, but thought I would ask here to try to get a wider range of thoughts. I hope a few of you can reply. Thanks, Kiwipete (talk) 04:56, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
It's not about one article. For quick context: 1723 - 300 years ago - is the year that Bach assumed the position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig, which was consequential:
It's then that he began to compose a cantata cycle, cantatas for every event of liturgical calendar (to be followed by more such cycles)
All who followed him as Thomaskantor are known in relation to him, - Andreas Reize the 18th after Bach.
Yes, we could just say that it's 300 years that this cantata was performed, but it seems to miss the impact - to me. Any help is welcome. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 05:24, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
So here we are. My idea was to add Bach to OTD for 30 May 2023, because he assumed his position as Thomaskantor on that day 300 years ago, explained why above, first performance of first cantata of first cantata cycle. I am new and need help. -- Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:35, 29 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Hi Gerda Arendt, sorry I've just seen this. I'll be scheduling the OTDs for 30 May in the next 10 days or so. I'd be glad to include this one as we are generally a bit short of culture articles and it is a significant anniversary. The BWV 75 article looks good, though one minor gripe is that the last two sentences of the background section are uncited - Dumelow (talk) 13:59, 12 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I added refs two the section, please check. I'll go over the article beginning tomorrow. What's the next step for OTD?
Thanks, looks fine to me. Nothing more to do until someone (almost certainly me) gets round to updating the day's entries for this year. I'm currently up to 17 May so will take a week or so to get to 30 May, watchlist the page and give me a nudge if I forget to include BWV 75 when I refresh it - Dumelow (talk) 10:26, 13 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
