Today in History

Today is Sunday, May 17, the 137th day of 2015. There are 228 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 17, 1875, the first Kentucky Derby was run; the winner was Aristides, ridden by Oliver Lewis.

On this date:

In 1792, the New York Stock Exchange had its origins as a group of brokers met under a tree on Wall Street.

In 1814, Norway's constitution was signed, providing for a limited monarchy.

In 1912, the Socialist Party of America nominated Eugene V. Debs for president at its convention in Indianapolis.

In 1939, Britain's King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, arrived in Quebec on the first visit to Canada by a reigning British monarch.

In 1940, the Nazis occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War II.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, unanimously struck down racially segregated public schools.

In 1961, Cuban leader Fidel Castro offered to release prisoners captured in the Bay of Pigs invasion in exchange for 500 bulldozers. (The prisoners were eventually freed in exchange for medical supplies.)

In 1973, a special committee convened by the U.S. Senate began its televised hearings into the Watergate scandal.

In 1980, rioting that claimed 18 lives erupted in Miami's Liberty City after an all-white jury in Tampa acquitted four former Miami police officers of fatally beating black insurance executive Arthur McDuffie.

In 1987, 37 American sailors were killed when an Iraqi warplane attacked the U.S. Navy frigate Stark in the Persian Gulf. (Iraq apologized for the attack, calling it a mistake, and paid more than $27 million in compensation.)

In 1995, Jacques Chirac was sworn in as president of France, ending the 14-year tenure of Socialist Francois Mitterrand.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow legal same-sex marriages.

Ten years ago: British lawmaker George Galloway denounced U.S. senators in testimony on Capitol Hill, denying accusations that he'd profited from the U.N. oil-for-food program and accusing them of unfairly tarnishing his name. Los Angeles Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa unseated Mayor James Hahn to be elected the city's first Hispanic mayor in more than a century. Impressionist and actor Frank Gorshin died in Burbank, California, at age 72.

Five years ago: The Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that young people serving life prison terms should have "a meaningful opportunity to obtain release" provided they didn't kill their victims. Laura Silsby, the last of 10 Americans detained while trying to take 33 children out of Haiti after the Jan. 2010 earthquake, was freed after a judge sentenced her to time already served in jail.

One year ago: Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a "Right To Try" bill allowing terminally ill patients to obtain experimental drugs without getting federal approval. Thousands of cheering supporters welcomed Narendra Modi, India's next prime minister, on his arrival in New Delhi after leading his party to a staggering victory in national elections. California Chrome won the Preakness to keep alive his bid for horse racing's first Triple Crown since 1978 (however, California Chrome ended up tying for fourth place at the Belmont Stakes, which was won by Tonalist).

Today's Birthdays: Actor Peter Gerety is 75. Singer Taj Mahal is 73. Rock musician Bill Bruford is 66. Singer-musician George Johnson (The Brothers Johnson) is 62. TV personality Kathleen Sullivan is 62. Actor Bill Paxton is 60. Boxing Hall-of-Famer Sugar Ray Leonard is 59. Actor-comedian Bob Saget is 59. Sports announcer Jim Nantz is 56. Singer Enya is 54. Talk show host-actor Craig Ferguson is 53. Rock singer-musician Page McConnell is 52. Actor David Eigenberg is 51. Singer-musician Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) is 50. Actress Paige Turco is 50. Rhythm-and-blues musician O'Dell (Mint Condition) is 50. Actor Hill Harper is 49. TV personality/interior designer Thom Filicia is 46. Singer Jordan Knight is 45. Rhythm-and-blues singer Darnell Van Rensalier (Shai) is 45. Actress Sasha Alexander is 42. Rock singer-musician Josh Homme is 42. Rock singer Andrea Corr (The Corrs) is 41. Actor Sendhil Ramamurthy is 41. Actress Rochelle Aytes is 39. Singer Kandi Burruss is 39. Actress Kat Foster is 37. Actress Ayda Field is 36. Actress Ginger Gonzaga is 32. Folk-rock singer/songwriter Passenger is 31. Dancer-choreographer Derek Hough (huhf) is 30. Actor Tahj Mowry is 29. Actress Nikki Reed is 27. Singer Kree Harrison (TV: "American Idol") is 25. Actress Leven Rambin is 25. Actress Samantha Browne-Walters is 24. Actor Justin Martin is 21.

Thought for Today: "Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -- William Faulkner, American author (1897-1962).

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