Monday, May 25, 1998
Today's events
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It's Memorial Day in the United States.
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On the horizon
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On Tuesday, May 26, a trial will be held for members of the Montana Freemen.
On Wednesday, May 27, Michael Fortier will be sentenced for his role in the April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City bombing.
On Thursday, May 28, NATO foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg.
On Friday, May 29, the sentencing of Adam Pletcher of Long Grove, Illinois, is to take place for attempting to extort money from Microsoft head Bill Gates.
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On this day
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In 1787, a convention under George Washington met for the first time in Philadelphia to draw up the United States constitution.
In 1803, Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, essayist and leading exponent of New England Transcendentalism, born.
In 1879, Lord Beaverbrook, English statesman and newspaper owner, born as William Maxwell Aitken. He was a Cabinet minister in both World Wars and owned the Daily and Sunday Express newspapers.
In 1889, Igor Sikorsky, Russian-born aeronautical engineer and inventor of the helicopter, born.
In 1895, writer Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years hard labor in Britain for being a sodomite.
In 1909, Britain passed the Indian Councils Act, giving more power to local legislative councils in India.
In 1911, President Porfirio Diaz resigned after revolutionist forces defeated government troops in the Mexican Civil War.
In 1926, Miles Davis, U.S. jazz trumpeter and composer, born.
In 1929, Beverley Sills, U.S. operatic soprano renowned for her role in "La Traviata," born.
In 1934, Gustav Holst, English composer notably of the suite "The Planets," died.
In 1935, American athlete Jesse Owens set six world records in 45 minutes, at the Big Ten Championship at Ann Arbor.
In 1951, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, British foreign office officials, disappeared from London. It was later discovered they had spied for Russia.
In 1960, during China-Nepal discussions on their border and ownership of Mount Everest, a Chinese team reached the summit via the north face and planted a Chinese flag and bust of Mao Zedong.
In 1963, a summit conference of African states ended in Addis Ababa with agreement to set up the Organisation of African Unity.
In 1969, the Sudanese government was overthrown in a military coup led by Col. Jaafar Nimeiri.
In 1972, the last of the U.S. "Corona" spy satellites was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
In 1979, America's worst-ever air disaster occurred when a DC-10 crashed at Chicago's O'Hare airport killing 273.
In 1983, a fire on board three vessels on a trip on the Upper Nile in Egypt killed more than 300 people.
In 1986, 30 million people worldwide joined in pop singer Bob Geldof's "Race Against Time" to raise money for the starving in Africa.
In 1989, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected to the new post of Executive President in the Soviet Union.
In 1992, veteran Italian politician Oscar Luigi Scalfaro was elected president.
In 1993, Guatemalan President Jorge Serrano dissolved congress and suspended the constitution amid fears of a coup.
In 1995, a major flare-up in the Bosnian war began when NATO launched air strikes against ammunition bunkers near Pale.
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Newslink
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Miles Davis, trumpeter, composer, innovator, was born on this day in 1926. Learn more about the jazz legend at
milesdavis.com.
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Notable
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Argentina observes its National holiday.
Bermuda marks Bermuda Day.
Chad celebrates the Liberation of Africa.
Colombia observes Ascension Day.
Jordan honors its Independence Day.
Mali, Mauritania and Namibia observe Africa Day.
It's Memorial Day in the United States.
Actress Dixie Carter ("Designing Women") is 59.
Singer Jessi Colter is 51.
Actor Justin Henry (Sixteen Candles) is 27.
NBA legend K.C. Jones is 66.
Author Robert Ludlum is 71.
Actor Sir Ian McKellan ("Amadeus") is 59.
Actor-comedian Mike Myers ("Saturday Night Live") is 35.
Opera singer Beverly Sills is 69.
Basketball star Sheryl Swoopes is 27.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1998, J.P. Morgan
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