What are the important events that happened on May 18? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
May 18: Facts & Myths About This Day
May 18 is the 139th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 227 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Saturday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is May 5, 2024 – a Saturday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 1,715,990,400 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectatriacontaenneagon’ day.
Taurus is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Emerald is the modern birthstone for this month. Sapphire is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 256 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,166 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the May 18 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday! (Sponsored link)
May 18 Historical Events
- 1652 –Rhode Island passes the first law in North America making slavery illegal.
- 1896 –Khodynka Tragedy: A mass panic on Khodynka Field in Moscow during the festivities of the coronation of Russian Tsar Nicholas II results in the deaths of 1,389 people.
- 1926 –Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappears while visiting a Venice, California beach.
- 1927 –After being founded for 20 years, the Government of the Republic of China approves Tongji University to be among the first national universities of the Republic of China.
- 1933 –New Deal: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an act creating the Tennessee Valley Authority.
- 1974 –Nuclear test: under project Smiling Buddha, India successfully detonates its first nuclear weapon becoming the sixth nation to do so.
- 1980 –Gwangju Massacre: students in Gwangju, South Korea begin demonstrations calling for democratic reforms.
- 1990 –In France, a modified TGV train achieves a new rail world speed record of 515.3 km/h (320.2 mph).
- 2005 –A second photo from the Hubble Space Telescope confirms that Pluto has two additional moons: Nix and Hydra.
- 2006 –The post Loktantra Andolan government passes a landmark bill curtailing the power of the monarchy and making Nepal a secular country.
Who were born on May 18?
- 1902 –Meredith Willson, American composer (d. 1984)
- 1911 –Big Joe Turner, American blues singer (d. 1985)
- 1923 –Hugh Shearer, Prime Minister of Jamaica (d. 2004)
- 1950 –Mark Mothersbaugh, American composer, musician, and singer (Devo)
- 1971 –Desiree Horton, American helicopter pilot/television reporter
- 1977 –Danny Mills, English footballer
- 1979 –Anna Chatziathanassiou, Greek figure skater
- 1980 –Ali Zafar, Pakistani singer and model
- 1980 –Felicia Pearson, Actress
- 1992 –Spencer Breslin, American actor
Who died on May 18?
- 1780 –Charles Hardy, British governor of Newfoundland
- 1889 –Isabella Glyn Dallas, Scottish Shakepearean actress (b. 1823)
- 1943 –Ōnishiki Daigorō, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 28th Yokozuna (b. 1883)
- 1958 –Jacob Fichman, Israeli poet and essayist (b. 1881)
- 1995 –Alexander Godunov, Russian ballet dancer and actor (b. 1949)
- 1997 –Bridgette Andersen, American actress (b. 1975)
- 2000 –Maulana Yousuf Ludhianvi, Indian Muslim scholar (b. 1932)
- 2002 –Davey Boy Smith, English professional wrestler (b. 1962)
- 2003 –Anna Santisteban, Puerto Rican beauty contest organizer (b. 1914)
- 2008 –Joseph Pevney, American television director (b. 1911)
Holy Toledo! Did you know that coffee and word games are an excellent combination to sharpen your vocabulary? Let’s give it a quick spin. Within 30 seconds, how many words can you think of from these letters KIKAVUODATK? Check your answers here: Word scramble KIKAVUODATK. (Sponsored by WordFinder.Cafe)