On this day, Jan. 18

1778 English navigator Captain James Cook reached the present-day Hawaiian Islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands.

1911 The first landing of an aircraft on a ship took place as pilot Eugene B. Ely brought his Curtiss biplane in for a safe landing on the deck of the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Harbor. 1943 During World War II, Jewish insurgents in the Warsaw Ghetto launched their initial armed resistance against Nazi troops, who eventually succeeded in crushing the rebellion.

1954 In one of the largest grants of its kind ever made, the Mellon family, represented by three foundations, gave $15 million to the University of Pittsburgh for medical education. The money was designated chiefly for development of Pitt’s first full-time medical school teaching staff. 1993 An eight-month strike of Pittsburgh’s two newspapers ends as the Post-Gazette resumes publication. The Pittsburgh Press would no longer be published.

2016 For the first time in 17 years, civil rights leaders gathered at the South Carolina Statehouse to pay homage to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. without the Confederate flag present; it was one of many rallies throughout the country.

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

— Compiled by Alyssa Brown Today’s birthdays: Movie director John Boorman, 88. Former Sen. Paul Kirk, DMass., 83. Singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro, 80. Comedian-singer-musician Brett Hudson, 68. Actor-director Kevin Costner, 66. Country singer-actor Mark Collie, 65. Actor Mark Rylance, 61.

Actor Alison Arngrim (TV: “Little House on the Prairie”), 59. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, 58. Actor Jane Horrocks, 57. Comedian Dave Attell, 56. Actor Jesse L. Martin, 52. Rapper DJ Quik, 51. Rock singer Jonathan Davis (Korn), 50. Former NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous, 48. Singer Christian Burns (BBMak), 47. Actor Derek Richardson, 45. Actor Jason Segel, 41. Actor Samantha Mumba, 38. Country singer Kristy Lee Cook (TV: “American Idol”), 37. Actor Devin Kelley, 35. Actor Ashleigh Murray (TV: “Riverdale”), 33. Actor Zeeko Zaki, 31. Tennis player Angelique Kerber, 33. Actor Mateus Ward, 22. Thought for today: “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.”

— Danny Kaye, American entertainer (born

this date in 1913, died 1986)