On This Day: August 18

Updated August 17, 2012, 2:28 pm

On Aug. 18, 1963, James Meredith became the first black to graduate from the University of Mississippi.

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On Aug. 18, 1934, Roberto Clemente, one of major league baseball’s top outfielders was born. Following his death on Dec. 31, 1972, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1227 The Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan died.

1587 Virginia Dare became the first child of English parents to be born on American soil, on what is now Roanoke Island, N.C.

1846 U.S. forces led by Gen. Stephen W. Kearny captured Santa Fe, N.M.

1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued his Proclamation of Neutrality, aimed at keeping the United States out of World War I.

1963 James Meredith became the first African-American to graduate from the University of Mississippi.

1969 The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, N.Y., concluded with a mid-morning set by Jimi Hendrix.

1983 Hurricane Alicia slammed into the Texas coast, leaving 22 dead and causing more than a billion dollars in damage.

1988 Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle was nominated as George H.W. Bush’s running mate during the Republican National Convention in New Orleans.

1991 Soviet hard-liners launched a coup aimed at toppling President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who was vacationing in the Crimea.

1997 Virginia Military Institute admitted a female student for the first time in its 158-year history.

2005 A judge in Wichita, Kan., sentenced BTK serial killer Dennis Rader to 10 consecutive life terms.

2008 Pervez Musharraf resigned as the president of Pakistan amid efforts by opposition lawmakers to seek his impeachment.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Comedian Andy Samberg (“Saturday Night Live”) turns 34 years old today.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Actor Edward Norton turns 43 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1927 Rosalynn Carter, Former first lady, turns 85

1933 Roman Polanski, Director, turns 79

1937 Robert Redford, Actor, turns 75

1943 Martin Mull, Actor, turns 69

1952 Elayne Boosler, Comedian, turns 60

1957 Denis Leary, Actor, comedian (“Rescue Me”), turns 55

1958 Madeleine Stowe, Actress, turns 54

1961 Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary, turns 51

1961 Bob Woodruff, Broadcast journalist, turns 51

1964 Craig Bierko, Actor, turns 48

1969 Christian Slater, Actor, turns 43

1970 Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Actor (“The Cosby Show”), turns 42

1975 Kaitlin Olson, Actress (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), turns 37

1980 Jeremy Shockey, Football player, turns 32

Historic Birthdays

Roberto Clemente 8/18/1934 – 12/31/1972 American National League baseball player.Go to obituary »

? Virginia Dare 8/18/1587 – before 1591//
First English child born in what would become the United States

74 Antonio Salieri 8/18/1750 – 5/7/1825
Italian composer

35 Meriwether Lewis 8/18/1774 – 10/11/1809
American explorer

86 Francis Joseph 8/18/1830 – 11/21/1916
German emperor of Austria (1848-1916) and king of Hungary (1867-1916)

70 Marshall Field 8/18/1835 – 1/16/1906
American department-store owner

82 Francis John McConnell 8/18/1871 – 8/18/1953
American Methodist bishop, college president and reformer

72 Leo Slezak 8/18/1873 – 6/1/1946
Austrian opera singer and film comedian

86 Arne Borg 8/18/1901 – 11/6/1987
Swedish champion swimmer

1227	The Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan died.
1587	Virginia Dare became the first child of English parents to be born on American soil, on what is now Roanoke Island, N.C.
1846	U.S. forces led by Gen. Stephen W. Kearny captured Santa Fe, N.M.
1914	President Woodrow Wilson issued his Proclamation of Neutrality, aimed at keeping the United States out of World War I.
1963	James Meredith became the first African-American to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
1969	The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, N.Y., concluded with a mid-morning set by Jimi Hendrix.
1983	Hurricane Alicia slammed into the Texas coast, leaving 22 dead and causing more than a billion dollars in damage.
1988	Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle was nominated as George H.W. Bush’s running mate during the Republican National Convention in New Orleans.
1991	Soviet hard-liners launched a coup aimed at toppling President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who was vacationing in the Crimea.
1997	Virginia Military Institute admitted a female student for the first time in its 158-year history.
2005	A judge in Wichita, Kan., sentenced BTK serial killer Dennis Rader to 10 consecutive life terms.
2008	Pervez Musharraf resigned as the president of Pakistan amid efforts by opposition lawmakers to seek his impeachment.

1927	Rosalynn Carter, Former first lady, turns 85
1933	Roman Polanski, Director, turns 79
1937	Robert Redford, Actor, turns 75
1943	Martin Mull, Actor, turns 69
1952	Elayne Boosler, Comedian, turns 60
1957	Denis Leary, Actor, comedian (“Rescue Me”), turns 55
1958	Madeleine Stowe, Actress, turns 54
1961	Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary, turns 51
1961	Bob Woodruff, Broadcast journalist, turns 51
1964	Craig Bierko, Actor, turns 48
1969	Christian Slater, Actor, turns 43
1970	Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Actor (“The Cosby Show”), turns 42
1975	Kaitlin Olson, Actress (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), turns 37
1980	Jeremy Shockey, Football player, turns 32

?	Virginia Dare 8/18/1587 – before 1591// First English child born in what would become the United States
74	Antonio Salieri 8/18/1750 – 5/7/1825 Italian composer
35	Meriwether Lewis 8/18/1774 – 10/11/1809 American explorer
86	Francis Joseph 8/18/1830 – 11/21/1916 German emperor of Austria (1848-1916) and king of Hungary (1867-1916)
70	Marshall Field 8/18/1835 – 1/16/1906 American department-store owner
82	Francis John McConnell 8/18/1871 – 8/18/1953 American Methodist bishop, college president and reformer
72	Leo Slezak 8/18/1873 – 6/1/1946 Austrian opera singer and film comedian
86	Arne Borg 8/18/1901 – 11/6/1987 Swedish champion swimmer