Today In History

Today is Thursday, May 17, the 137th day of 2018. There are 228 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1792: The New York Stock Exchange had its beginnings as a group of brokers met under a tree on Wall Street and signed the Buttonwood Agreement.

ON THIS DATE

› 1875: The first Kentucky Derby was run; the winner was Aristides.

› 1948: The Soviet Union recognized the new state of Israel.

› 1954: A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court handed down its Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision which held that racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal, and therefore unconstitutional.

› 1973: A special committee convened by the U.S. Senate began its televised hearings into the Watergate scandal.

› 1978: Women were included in the White House honor guard for the first time as President Jimmy Carter welcomed Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda.

› 1996: President Bill Clinton signed a measure requiring neighborhood notification when sex offenders move in. (“Megan’s Law,” as it’s known, was named for Megan Kanka, a sevenyear-old New Jersey girl who was raped and murdered in 1994.)

› 2004: Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriages.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Peter Gerety is

78. Singer Taj Mahal is 76. Rock musician Bill Bruford is 69. Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard is 62. Actor-comedian Bob Saget is 62. Sports announcer Jim Nantz is

59. Producer Simon Fuller (TV: “American Idol”) is 58. Singer Enya is 57. Actor-comedian Craig Ferguson is 56. Actress Paige Turco is 53. Rhythm and blues musician O’Dell (Mint Condition) is 53. Actor Hill Harper is 52. TV personality/ interior designer Thom Filicia is 49. Singer Jordan Knight is 48. Rhythm and blues singer Darnell Van Rensalier (Shai) is 48. Actress Sasha Alexander is 45. Actress Ayda Field is 39. Actress Ginger Gonzaga is 35. Folk-rock singer/songwriter Passenger is 34. Dancer-choreographer Derek Hough is

33. Actor Tahj Mowry is

32. Singer Kree Harrison (TV: “American Idol”) is

28. Actress Leven Rambin is 28. Actress Samantha Browne-Walters is 27. Actor Justin Martin is 24.