On this day, Aug. 18

1877 The See of Allegheny of the Roman Catholic Church was merged with the See of Pittsburgh.

1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued his Proclamation of Neutrality, aimed at keeping the United States out of World War I.

1940 Spear & Co. leased a 14-story Wood Street building, formerly occupied by McCreery’s Department Store, and announced plans for a $1 million renovation program.

1963 James Meredith became the first black student to graduate from the University of Mississippi.

1992 Kennywood Park was designated a historical landmark by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. 2009 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, during his first visit to Washington in five years, offered lavish praise for President Barack Obama; for his part, Obama spoke of an “extraordinary opportunity” for making peace in the Middle East.

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 first lady Rosalynn Carter, 92. Movie director Roman Polanski, 86. Actor-director Robert Redford, 83. Actor Henry G. Sanders, 77. Actor-comedian Martin Mull, 76. Comedian Elayne Boosler, 67. Country singer Steve Wilkinson (The Wilkinsons), 64. Actor Denis Leary, 62. Actress Madeleine Stowe, 61. Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, 58. ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff, 58. The former president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, 57. Bluegrass musician Jimmy Mattingly, 57. Actor Adam Storke, 57. Rock singer-musician Zac Maloy (The Nixons), 51. Rock singer and hip-hop artist Everlast, 50. Rapper Masta Killa (Wu-Tang Clan), 50. Actor Christian Slater, 50. Actor Edward Norton, 50. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 49. Actress Kaitlin Olson, 44. Actor-writer-director Hadjii, 43. Rock musician Dirk Lance, 43. Actor-comedian Andy Samberg (TV: “Saturday Night Live”), 41. Country musician Brad Tursi (Old Dominion), 40. Actress Mika Boorem, 32. Actress Maia Mitchell, 26. Actress Madelaine Petsch, 25. Actress Parker McKenna Posey, 24.

Thought for today: “The self-hatred that destroys is the waste of unfulfilled promise.” — Moss Hart, American playwright and director (1904-1961).