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From: Mary Minnich< >
Subject: [FOLKLORE-L] Fw: Today in History - May 17th.
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 07:18:40 -0400


Today is Monday, May 17th, the 137th day of 1999.
There are 228 days left in the year.

TODAY IS CARRIE CORSBY's BIRTHDAY!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE!!

Today's Highlight in History:
On May 17th, 1954, the Supreme Court issued its landmark "Brown versus Board
of Education of Topeka" ruling which held that racially segregated public
schools were inherently unequal.

On this date:
In 1792, the New York Stock Exchange was founded by brokers meeting under a
tree located on what is now Wall Street.

In 1814, Norway's constitution was signed, providing for a limited monarchy.

In 1849, a fire in St. Louis, Missouri, destroyed over 400 buildings and
more than two dozen steamships.

In 1938, Congress passed the Vinson Naval Act, providing for a two-ocean
navy.

In 1939, Britain's King George the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth arrived in
Quebec on the first visit to Canada by reigning British sovereigns.

In 1940, the Nazis occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War Two.

In 1946, President Truman seized control of the nation's railroads, delaying
a threatened strike by engineers and trainmen.

In 1948, the Soviet Union recognized the new state of Israel.

In 1973, the Senate opened its hearings into the Watergate scandal.

In 1987, 37 American sailors were killed when an Iraqi warplane attacked the
US Navy frigate "Stark" in the Persian Gulf. (Iraq and the US called the
attack a mistake.)

Ten years ago: More than one million people swarmed into central Beijing to
express support for Chinese students fasting for democracy. A court in
Frankfurt, West Germany, sentenced Mohammed Ali Hamadi to life in prison for
his role in the 1985 TWA hijacking.

Five years ago: The UN Security Council approved a peacekeeping force and an
arms embargo for violence-racked Rwanda.

One year ago: Leaders of the Group of Eight nations ended their summit in
Birmingham, England, with a plea to Pakistan not to respond in kind to
India's five nuclear explosions. New York Yankees pitcher David Wells became
the 13th player in modern major league baseball history to throw a perfect
game as he retired all 27 batters he faced in a 4-to-0 victory over the
Minnesota Twins.

Today's Birthdays:
Former Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox is 87.
Opera singer Birgit Nilsson is 81.
Actor-director Dennis Hopper is 63.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Pervis Jackson (The Spinners) is 61.
Singer Taj Mahal is 57.
Singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester is 55.
Actor Bill Paxton is 44.
Boxing Hall-of-Famer Sugar Ray Leonard is 43.
Actor-comedian Bob Saget is 43.
Singer Enya is 38.
Singer-musician Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) is 34.
Rhythm-and-blues musician O'Dell (Mint Condition) is 34.
Singer Jordan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 29.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Darnell Van Rensalier (Shai) is 29.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Kandi Burruss (Xscape) is 23.
Actor Tahj Mowry ("Smart Guy") is 13.

Thought for Today:

"The past is never dead -- it is not even past."

-- William Faulkner, American author (1897-1962).

(Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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