1. In 1796, Washington, D.C. became the official capital of the United States. Prior to this, the capital had been located in various cities along the East Coast, including New York City and Philadelphia.

2. Famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered his first public address in Washington, D.C. on May 2, 1864. His speech, which was given at the Fourth Street Presbyterian Church, focused on the role of African Americans in the Civil War effort.

3. On May 2, 1894, the first ever Washington Senators baseball game was played at Boundary Field. The Senators defeated the New York Highlanders (later known as the Yankees) with a final score of 7-2.

4. The iconic Tidal Basin cherry blossoms, which draw millions of visitors to the nation's capital each year, were first gifted to the United States by Japan on May 2, 1912. The trees were meant to symbolize the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

5. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, widely regarded as one of the most moving and powerful memorials in the country, was dedicated on May 2, 1982. The memorial features the names of all 58,318 Americans who died in the Vietnam War etched into black granite walls.