Today is Wednesday, May 14, 2025, marking the 134th day of the year with 231 days remaining. A significant event in history on this day was the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, by members of the Virginia Company in 1607. Additionally, the Lewis and Clark expedition embarked on its journey near present-day Hartford, Illinois in 1804 to explore the Louisiana Territory and the Pacific Northwest.
In medical history, on May 14, 1796, English physician Edward Jenner successfully inoculated 8-year-old James Phipps against smallpox using cowpox matter, a pivotal moment in the eradication of smallpox which was achieved in 1980. In more recent history, on May 14, 1948, the independent state of Israel was declared in Tel Aviv by David Ben-Gurion, who became its first prime minister.
In 1955, representatives from eight Communist bloc countries signed the Warsaw Pact in Poland, including the Soviet Union. This alliance was dissolved in 1991. In 1961, Freedom Rider civil rights activists were brutally attacked by violent mobs in Anniston and Birmingham, Alabama, highlighting the ongoing struggle for racial equality.
On a technological front, NASA launched Skylab, the first American space station, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 1973, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. In a tragic event from the more recent past, on May 14, 2022, an 18-year-old white supremacist carried out a mass shooting in a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, resulting in the loss of 10 lives. The perpetrator, Payton Gendron, was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole in February 2023.
Celebrating birthdays on this day are notable individuals such as Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Pérez turning 83, filmmaker George Lucas at 81, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis at 74, musician David Byrne at 73, actor Tim Roth at 64, actor Cate Blanchett at 56, filmmaker Sofia Coppola at 54, former NFL running back Frank Gore at 42, actor Amber Tamblyn at 42, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at 41, former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski at 36, and actor Miranda Cosgrove at 32.
As we reflect on the events and individuals associated with May 14 throughout history, we are reminded of the diverse tapestry of human experiences and achievements that continue to shape our world.
