On This Day, May 17: Aristides wins first Kentucky Derby
On this date in history:
In 1792, 24 brokers met in New York City and formed the New York Stock Exchange.
In 1875, Aristides was the winner of the first Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
In 1943, the Memphis Belle became one of the first B-17 to complete 25 missions in World War II, securing the plane and crew's reputations as rockstars. The plane was the subject of a documentary at the time and a film about the crew was made in 1990 starring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz and Harry Connick Jr. Ten days after the 25th mission, the pilot, Capt. Robert K. Morgan and co-pilot, Capt. James Verinis, met the king and queen of England, to whom Morgan explained the origin of the plane's name.
In 1954, in a major civil rights victory, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan., ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
In 1970, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl set sail from Morocco in a papyrus boat called the Ra II, modeled on drawings of ancient Egyptian sailing vessels. His mission was to prove his theory that ancient civilizations could have sailed to the Americas. He arrived in Barbados 57 days later.
In 1973, the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee opened hearings into a break-in at Democratic National headquarters in Washington.
File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI
In 1987, two Iraqi Exocet missiles hit the frigate USS Stark in the Persian Gulf, killing 37 seamen. Iraq apologized for mistaking the ship's identity and the Stark's top officers were reprimanded and retired.
In 1989, 1 million people demonstrated for democratic reforms in Beijing. The number of students fasting to support the drive reached 3,000.
In 1999, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his bid for re-election when voters chose Ehud Barak, head of the center-left Israel One coalition, to succeed him.
File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
In 2005, Los Angeles voters elected Antonio Villaraigosa as the city's first Hispanic mayor since 1872.
In 2007, the United States' "minority" citizenship topped the 100 million mark, about one-third of the total U.S. population, the U.S. Census Bureau said. Hispanics made up the largest group, ahead of Black Americans, 44.3 million to 40.2 million.
In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court banned the sentencing of a juvenile to life in prison for a non-homicide case, calling the practice unconstitutional, and cruel and unusual punishment.
In 2018, the Senate confirmed Gina Haspel to be the first female director of the CIA, ending weeks of speculation over whether her past role in using torture as an interrogation technique would derail her nomination.
In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
In 2021, Cyclone Tauktae made landfall in western India with sustained winds of 115 mph. The storm would go on to kill 174 people and cause more than $2 billion in damage in India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
File Photo by STR/EPA-EFE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
a few seconds ago
- UPI
Kim Jong Un condemns U.S-South Korea drills as 'will to ignite war'
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned a U.S.-South Korean joint military drill as showing a "will to ignite a war," state media reported Tuesday. Kim made the comments while inspecting a 5,000-ton destroyer, similar to one he visited in June. File Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE SEOUL, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said a U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise showed their "will to ignite a war" and called for the rapid expansion of Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities, state media reported Tuesday. "The U.S.-ROK intensified military nexus and the muscle-flexing are the most obvious manifestation of their will to ignite a war," Kim said, according to state-run Korean Central News Agency. Kim made the remark as he inspected the North's first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, at Nampo Shipyard on Monday -- the same day that the United States and South Korea kicked off an 11-day joint military exercise. The annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield includes live field maneuvers, computer simulation-based command post exercises and related civil defense drills. Some 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Korean personnel, are participating this year. Kim said the allies' joint drills "have always been provocative and dangerous in their nature but the gravity is increasing," according to KCNA. "The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization," he said. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea. During his visit to Nampo Shipyard, Kim received a report on the Choe Hyon's various weapons systems and expressed "satisfaction over the fact that the major tasks for making the navy high-tech and nuclear-armed are progressing on a stage-by-stage basis as planned," KCNA said. The destroyer, which was launched in April, is armed with a wide range of weapons including anti-aircraft missiles, 127mm naval guns and nuclear-capable cruise and ballistic missiles, according to North Korean reports. A second destroyer, named the Kang Kon, was unveiled in May but suffered a launch accident that left it listing on its side. Kim, who was in attendance at the launch, called the mishap a "criminal act" and warned of serious consequences for those found responsible. The ship was repaired and relaunched in June, although analysts have questioned whether it is fully operational. At that ceremony, Kim vowed to "commission two destroyers of the same class or higher into the navy every year." Kim's latest comments come as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is making a push to improve inter-Korean relations. In a speech Friday marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee vowed to "respect" North Korea's political system and said Seoul would not pursue "unification by absorption." "We have no intention of engaging in hostile acts," Lee said. "Going forward, our government will take consistent measures to substantially reduce tensions and restore trust." North Korea has so far rebuffed Lee's overtures. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, recently condemned Seoul's "blind trust" in its military alliance with Washington and mocked reconciliation efforts as "nothing but a pipedream."
UPI
30 minutes ago
- UPI
Missouri AG Andrew Bailey named co-deputy FBI director
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced his resignation Monday. He has been named co-deputy director of the FBI. Photo courtesy of Missouri Attorney General's Office/ Website Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The Trump administration has tapped Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to be the new co-deputy director of the FBI. Bailey, a staunch President Donald Trump ally, announced his resignation as Missouri's attorney general, effective Sept. 8, in order to take on the new position. "My life has been defined by a call to service, and I am once again answering that call, this time at the national level," he said in a statement. "I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General [Pam] Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again." Bailey will be joining Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent-turned right-wing podcaster, as co-deputy director of the FBI, under FBI Director Kash Patel. "Welcome," Bongino said online in response to Bailey's appointment. "Let's get after it," Patel added. Bondi said in a statement that she was "thrilled" to welcome Bailey to the FBI. "His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission," she said. "While we know this is undoubtedly a great loss for Missouri, it is a tremendous gain for America." The appointment of Bailey as co-deputy director raises questions about the future of Bongino at the department as the known conspiracy theorist got into an argument with the attorney general seemingly over not releasing files related to the case of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a Manhattan jail from an apparent suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Bondi's handling of the files allegedly caused Bongino to contemplate resigning from the FBI. Bailey, a Republican, was sworn in as the 44th attorney general for Missouri on Jan. 3, 2023. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has announced a Tuesday 10 a.m. CDT press conference in which he will name Bailey's replacement.
UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
On This Day, Aug. 19: U.N. rep. to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello killed
1 of 3 | United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan (R) chats on July 29, 2002, with Sergio Vieira de Mello from Brazil, the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. On August 19, 2003, de Mello was killed in a car-bomb attack on U.N. headquarters in Iraq. File Photo by E. Debebe/UPI | License Photo Aug. 19 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1812, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution defeated the British ship Guerriere in a furious engagement off the coast of Nova Scotia and earned its nickname of "Old Ironsides." Witnesses said British shots seemed to bounce off the Constitution. In 1953, the Iranian military overthrew the government led by Premier Mohammed Mossadegh and reinstated the shah. In 1960, U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers was convicted in a Moscow court and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released 18 months later in exchange for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. In 1977, Julius "Groucho" Marx, leader of the Marx Brothers comedy troupe, died at the age of 87. In 1987, gun enthusiast Michael Ryan went on a shooting rampage in Hungerford, England, killing 16 people. In 1991, a coup orchestrated by hard-line Communists and led by Vice President Gennady Yanayev removed Mikhail Gorbachev as president of the Soviet Union. The coup would endure for three days before being put down. The action led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union which would formally occur on December 26, 1991. In 1992, delegates to the Republican National Convention nominated President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle for re-election. They were defeated in November by Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore. UPI File Photo In 1995, three U.S. negotiators, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Frasure, were killed when their vehicle plunged from a mountain road near Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina In 1996, the Green Party nominated Ralph Nader as its presidential candidate. In 2003, Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations' representative to Iraq, was killed in a car-bomb attack on U.N. headquarters in Iraq. In 2008, the resignation of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was followed by insurgent bombing attacks that killed roughly 100 people. File PhotoRoger L. Wollenberg/UPI In 2009, two massive bomb attacks killed at least 95 people and injured more than 600 others in Baghdad. It was said to be the worst attack in the region since the U.S. military gave control of the country's security back to the Iraqi government. In 2013, an express train killed at least 37 people and injured many others crossing tracks at a remote transit station in the eastern India state of Bihar. After the accident, an angry mob severely beat the operator of the train, authorities said. In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the so-called "female Viagra," called Addyi to treat sexual disorder in premenopausal women. In 2020, Apple became the first U.S. company -- and second in the world -- to reach a market cap of $2 trillion, doubling its valuation over the previous two years. In 2024, six people died, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, died after the super yacht they were on sank while sailing in severe weather off the coast of Sicily. File Photo by Igor Petyx/EPA-EFE
