TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS IN HISTORY: TODAY IS THURSDAY, MAY 10,
the 130th day of 2018. There are 235 days left in the year. On this date in 1968, the “Night of the Barricades” began in Paris’ Latin Quarter as tens of thousands of student protesters erected obstacles against riot police; in the pre-dawn hours of May 11, the police moved in, resulting in violent clashes that left hundreds of people injured. Preliminary peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam began in the French capital.
In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale arrived in the Virginia Colony, where, as deputy governor, he instituted harsh measures to restore order.
In 1775, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with Col. Benedict Arnold, captured the British-held fortress at Ticonderoga, N.Y.
In 1818, American patriot Paul Revere, 83, died in Boston.
In 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union forces in Irwinville, Ga.
In 1869, a golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.
In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (later known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI).
In 1933, the Nazis staged massive public book burnings in Germany.
In 1940, during World War II, German forces began invading the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and France. The same day, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchill formed a new government.
In 1960, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Triton completed its submerged navigation of the globe.
In 1978, Buckingham Palace announced that Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon were divorcing after 18 years of marriage.
In 1984, the International Court of Justice said the United States should halt any actions to blockade Nicaragua’s ports (the U.S. had already said it would not recognize World Court jurisdiction on this issue).
In 1994, Nelson Mandela took the oath of office in Pretoria to become South Africa’s first black president. The state of Illinois executed serial killer John Wayne Gacy, 52, for the murders of 33 young men and boys.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS:
Author Barbara Taylor Bradford is 85. Rhythm-and-blues singer Henry Fambrough (The Spinners) is 80. Actor David Clennon is 75. Writerproducer-director Jim Abrahams is 74. Singers Donovan and Dave Mason, and singer-songwriter Graham Gouldman (10cc) are 72. Actor Mike Hagerty is 64. Sports anchor Chris Berman is 63. Actor Bruce Penhall is 61. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., is 60. Actress Victoria Rowell is 59. Rock singer Bono (U2) and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., are 58. Rock musician Danny Carey (Tool) is 57. Actor Darryl M. Bell and playwright Suzan-Lori Parks are 55. Model Linda Evangelista is 53. Rapper Young MC is 51. Actor Lenny Venito is 49. Actor Dallas Roberts is 48. Actress Leslie Stefanson is 47. Actorsinger Todd Lowe and country musician David Wallace (Cole Deggs and the Lonesome) are 46. Rock musician Jesse Vest is 41. Actor Kenan Thompson is 40. Rock musician Joey Zehr (The Click Five) is 35. Singer Ashley Poole (Dream) and actress Odette Annable are 33. Actress Lindsey Shaw is 29. Actress Lauren Potter is 28. Olympic gold medal swimmer Missy Franklin is 23.