On this day, May 29

1790 Rhode Island became the 13th original colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1909 President William H. Taft arrived for a two-day visit, watched the Pirates lose to the Chicago Cubs, 8-3, and participated in the dedication of Memorial Fountain in Arsenal Park.

1953 Mount Everest was conquered as Edmund Hillary, of New Zealand, and Tensing Norgay, of Nepal, became the first climbers to reach the summit.

1985 AGV Enterprises was to purchase the 34-story Gulf Building — a national historic landmark — from the Chevron Corp.

2004 Josie Carey, who hosted the television show on WQED that would later become “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” died at 73. 2020 Fired Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with thirddegree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. (He would be convicted in April 2021 on those charges as well as second-degree unintentional murder.) Thousands of protesters in Minneapolis, angered by Floyd’s death, ignored a curfew as unrest overwhelmed authorities; fires burned unchecked in cars and businesses. In a tweet, President Donald Trump called protesters in Minneapolis “thugs” and added “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” (The tweet was flagged by Twitter for “glorifying violence.”) Protests over Floyd’s death spread to dozens of cities. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House, some throwing rocks and tugging at barricades; officials later said Secret Service agents rushed Mr. Trump to an underground bunker.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Former Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent, 84. Actor Helmut Berger, 78. Actor Anthony Geary, 75. Actor Cotter Smith, 73. Singer Rebbie Jackson, 72. Movie composer Danny Elfman, 69. Singer LaToya Jackson, 66. Actor Ted Levine, 65. Actor Annette Bening, 64. Actor Rupert Everett, 63. Actor Adrian Paul, 63. Singer Melissa Etheridge, 61. Actor Lisa Whelchel, 59. Actor Tracey Bregman, 59. Rock musician Noel Gallagher, 55. Actor Anthony Azizi, 53. Rock musician Chan Kinchla (Blues Traveler), 53. Actor Laverne Cox, 50. Rock musician Mark Lee (Third Day), 49. Cartoonist Aaron McGruder (“The Boondocks”), 48. Singer Melanie Brown (Spice Girls), 47. Latin singer Fonseca, 43. Actor Justin Chon (TV: “Deception”; “Dr. Ken”), 41. NBA player Carmelo Anthony, 38. Actor Billy Flynn, 37. Actor Blake Foster, 37. Actor Riley Keough, 33. Actor Brandon Mychal Smith, 33. Actor Kristen Alderson, 31. Actor Lorelei Linklater, 29.

Thought for today: “There is no avant-garde; only some people a bit behind.”

— Edgard Varèse, French composer (1883-1965)