On This Day: Janet Guthrie becomes first woman to compete in Indy 500

On May 29, 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. She completed 27 laps before her car became disabled.

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World War II era aircraft flies over the National World War II Memorial as part of the Arsenal of Democracy: World War II Victory Capitol Flyover in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, in Washington, D.C. on May 8, 2015. Fifteen waves of World War II era aircraft flew over the National Mall representing significant battles in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Allies victory over the Nazi's. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
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Sailors remove coffins from the Lady Gray at port in Quebec following the sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland ocean liner on May 28, 1914. More than 1,000 people perished in the tragedy one day earlier. File Photo by Library of Congress/UPI
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On this day in 2009, music producer Phil Spector was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for the 2003 slaying of actress Lana Carlson. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
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Janet Guthrie was the first woman to drive in the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. She is seen here when she first qualified for the Indy 500. File Photo courtesy of INDYCAR/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

On this date in history:

In 1660, Charles II was restored to the English throne.

In 1790, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1914, the Canadian Pacific Transatlantic liner Empress of Ireland sank in the early-morning hours following a collision with the liner Storstadt, a much smaller vessel, in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence. More than 1,000 people died in what is the largest maritime accident in Canadian peacetime history.

In 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first humans to reach the top of Mount Everest.

In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. She completed 27 laps before her car became disabled. On the same day in 2005, Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead during the same race.

In 1985, British soccer fans attacked Italian fans preceding the European Cup final in Brussels. The resulting stadium stampede killed 38 people and injured 400.

In 1990, renegade Communist Boris Yeltsin was elected president of Russia.

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File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

In 1996, in Israel's first selection of a prime minister by direct vote, Benjamin Netanyahu defeated Shimon Peres. The margin of victory was less than 1 percent.

In 1997, Zaire rebel leader Laurent Kabila was sworn in as president of what was again being called the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 2004, the National World War II memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington. Thousands of veterans of the war, which ended nearly 59 years earlier, attended the ceremony.

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File Photo by Greg Whitesell/UPI

In 2009, U.S. music producer Phil Spector was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for the 2003 slaying of actress Lana Carlson.

In 2010, two mosques of a religious minority in Pakistan were attacked by intruders firing weapons and throwing grenades. Officials put the death toll at 98.

In 2018, a Harvard study determined at least 4,645 people in Puerto Rico died as a result of Hurricane Maria, a sharp contrast to the official government death toll of 64.

In 2019, special counsel Robert Mueller released his first public statement, saying that while there's no evidence President Donald Trump colluded with Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, there were several "episodes" in which he obstructed justice.

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File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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