18 October

1540 – Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto’s forces destroy the fortified town of Mabila in present-day Alabama, killing Tuskaloosa.

1648 – Boston Shoemakers form first U.S. labor organization.

1836 – Frederick August Otto Schwarz (born), American businessman, founded FAO Schwarz (died 1911)

1851 – Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is first published as The Whale by Richard Bentley of London.

1867 – United States takes possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day.

1871 – Charles Babbage, English mathematician and engineer, invented the mechanical computer (born 1791)

1911 – Alfred Binet, French psychologist (born 1857)

1922 – The British Broadcasting Company (later Corporation) is founded by a consortium, to establish a nationwide network of radio transmitters to provide a national broadcasting service.

1926 – Chuck Berry (born), American singer-songwriter and guitarist

1945 – Argentine military officer and politician Juan Perón marries actress Eva Perón.

1954 – Texas Instruments announces the first Transistor radio.

1966 – Elizabeth Arden, Canadian-American businesswoman, founded Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (born 1878)

1966 – S. S. Kresge (died), American businessman, founded Kmart (born 1867)

1968 – The U.S. Olympic Committee suspends Tommie Smith and John Carlos for giving a “black power” salute during a victory ceremony at the Mexico City games.

2009 – Adriaan Kortlandt (died), Dutch ethologist (born 1918)

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EO Smith

Interests include biological anthropology, evolution, social behavior, and human behavior. Conducted field research in the Tana River National Primate Reserve, Kenya and on Angaur, Palau, Micronesia, as well as research with captive nonhuman primates at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Institute for Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya.
EO Smith
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