Today is Sunday, May 18, the 138th day of 2025. There are 227 days left in the year.
On May 18, 1980, the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state erupted, resulting in an estimated 57 casualties. Additionally, in 1863, the Siege of Vicksburg began during the Civil War, ultimately culminating in a Union victory on July 4.
In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court made a controversial ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, endorsing the concept of “separate but equal” racial segregation. This decision was later overturned 58 years later by the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
Tragically, in 1927, a devastating school attack took place in Bath Township, Michigan. Local farmer Andrew Kehoe planted explosives in a schoolhouse and set off a bomb in his truck, resulting in the deaths of 38 children and six adults. Kehoe, who had experienced financial difficulties and lost a township clerk election, sought revenge through these heinous acts.
On a more positive note, in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure establishing the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public utility in the United States. This initiative aimed to provide electricity and promote economic development in the region.
In 1973, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was appointed as the Watergate special prosecutor by U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson, marking a significant moment in the investigation into the scandal.
Fast forward to 1981, when the New York Native, a gay newspaper, published the first report on what would later be known as AIDS, bringing attention to the emerging epidemic within the LGBTQ+ community.
In 1998, the U.S. government filed an antitrust case against Microsoft, alleging that the software giant had a monopolistic hold on the market, limiting consumer choice. The subsequent settlement between the Justice Department and Microsoft in 2001 addressed these concerns.
On a somber note, in 2018, a tragic school shooting occurred at a Houston-area high school, where a 17-year-old armed with a shotgun and pistol took the lives of eight students and two teachers.
Celebrating birthdays today are several notable individuals including Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson (79), musician Rick Wakeman of Yes (76), country musician George Strait (73), actor Chow Yun-Fat (70), Hockey Hall of Famer Jari Kurri (65), Tennis Hall of Famer Yannick Noah (65), comedian-writer Tina Fey (55), rock singer Jack Johnson (50), and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (22).
It’s important to reflect on these historical events and milestones as they have shaped our society and continue to influence our present and future.
