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Today in History
Mount St. Helens erupts
At 8:32 a.m. PDT on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington, suffers a massive eruption,…
Lawrence of Arabia dies
T.E. Lawrence, known to the world as Lawrence of Arabia, dies as a retired Royal Air Force mechanic living under an assumed name.…
Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive patent for blue jeans
On May 20, 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are given a patent to create work…
Mount St. Helens erupts
At 8:32 a.m. PDT on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington, suffers a massive eruption,…
Brown v. Board of Ed is decided
May 17, 1954: In a major civil rights victory, the U.S. Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of…
Lewis and Clark depart to explore the Northwest
May 14, 1804: One year after the United States doubled its territory with the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition…
U.S. Congress declares war on Mexico
On May 13, 1846, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly votes in favor of President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico in…
Kidnapped Lindbergh baby found dead
The body of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh’s baby is found on May 12, 1932, more than two months after he has kidnapped from his…
1934 May 11 Dust storm sweeps from Great Plains across Eastern states
On May 11, 1934, a massive storm sends millions of tons of topsoil flying from across the parched Great Plains region of the…
Transcontinental railroad completed, unifying United States
On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a…