Important Events From This day in History – 17 May

Today in History

• 1999 Ehud Barak becomes Prime Minister of Israel

  During his presidency, Barak attempted to restart peace talks with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). His efforts, however, were futile.

• 1990 The WHO deletes homosexuality from its list of mental diseases

  The first same-sex marriages in the United States were performed 14 years later when Massachusetts became the first state to legalize them.

• 1972 Germany ratifies the Treaty of Warsaw

  Chancellor Willy Brandt signed the treaty, by which Germany gives up any territorial claims and guarantees the Oder-Neisse line as the valid border to Poland.

• 1954 The U.S. Supreme Court declares racially segregated public schools unconstitutional

  Despite this landmark decision, de facto racial segregation was upheld for years in some areas of the United States.

• 1943 The Royal Air Force Dambusters wreck three German dams

  To avoid the torpedo nets protecting the dams, the RAF squadron used revolutionary bouncing bombs. A 1954 war film depicted the daring air raid.