On this day

17 May in history.

5 moments from 1792 to 1954: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Official portraits of the 1976 U.S. Supreme Court: Justice Thurgood Marshall. The Justice is wearing judicial robes, seated and facing front

1954

Brown v. Board of Education. The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously that separating Black and white children in public schools was unconstitutional.

Wikipedia: Brown v. Board of Education

Photo: Robert S. Oakes / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

More from 17 May

  1. New York Stock Exchange

    1792

    Under a buttonwood tree

    Two dozen brokers met under a tree on Wall Street and signed an agreement on trading rules, the start of the New York Stock Exchange.

    Wikipedia: Buttonwood AgreementWikipedia: New York Stock Exchange

    Photo: Jeffrey Zeldman from Manhattan, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

  2. Churchill Downs Louisville Kentucky

    1875

    The first Kentucky Derby

    A horse named Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby, ridden by Oliver Lewis, a Black jockey.

    Wikipedia: Kentucky DerbyWikipedia: Oliver Lewis

    Photo: TEDD LiGGETT / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

  3. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

    1900

    The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

    The first copies of L. Frank Baum's story of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion came off the press.

    Wikipedia: The Wonderful Wizard of OzWikipedia: L. Frank Baum

    Photo: William Wallace Denslow / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  4. Antikythera mechanism

    1902

    An ancient computer is found

    Archaeologist Valerios Stais noticed a gear wheel in a lump of corroded bronze from a shipwreck. The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek device for tracking the sky.

    Wikipedia: Antikythera mechanism

    Photo: Logg Tandy / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.