What Happened on May 18?

May 18 is International Museum Day — and the date Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, Haiti adopted its flag in 1803, and the first U.S. televised presidential debate aired in 1992.

• 1652 — Rhode Island passes an early law against slavery

  Rhode Island's General Assembly enacted legislation on May 18, 1652, restricting African slavery — one of the earliest colonial attempts to limit the practice, though enforcement was weak. Read the full story →

• 1803 — Haitian revolutionaries create the first Haitian flag

  On May 18, 1803, leaders of the Haitian Revolution removed the white stripe from the French tricolor to symbolize unity of Black and mixed-race fighters — creating a flag for the world's first Black republic. Read the full story →

• 1974 — India conducts its first nuclear test, code-named Smiling Buddha

  India detonated a nuclear device in the Rajasthan desert on May 18, 1974, becoming the sixth nation to demonstrate nuclear weapons capability. Read the full story →

• 1977 — ICOM launches International Museum Day to celebrate museums worldwide

  The International Council of Museums established International Museum Day in 1977 — now observed every May 18 to highlight museums' role in education and cultural exchange. Read the full story →

• 1980 — Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington State

  After weeks of earthquakes and a growing bulge on its north flank, Mount St. Helens exploded on May 18, 1980 — the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) · Pope John Paul II (1920–2005) · Tina Fey (1970) · Jack Johnson (1975)

Days & observances

International Museum Day · National No Dirty Dishes Day · Haitian Flag Day · National Cheese Fries Day