Today in history: May 14

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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2015 – American guitarist and singer B.B. King, who was a principal figure in the development of blues and whose style inspired leading popular musicians, died at age 89.

1998 – The last episode of the television situation comedy “Seinfeld” aired; ostensibly a show about nothing, it was a landmark of American popular culture.

1973 – Skylab, the first U.S. space station, was launched.

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1948 – Just before the expiration of the British mandate in Palestine, David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish People’s Council proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, precipitating the first Arab-Israeli war.

1944 – George Lucas, director, producer, screenwriter and creator of the “Star Wars” universe was born.

1804 – Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked from the American Midwest on their famous “Lewis and Clark” expedition to the Pacific coast of North America.

1796 – Edward Jenner administered the first vaccination against smallpox.

1607 – The first permanent British settlement in North America was founded at Jamestown, Virginia.

 

Source: britannica.com