"Life is a tragedy full of joy."

-- Bernard Malamud, American author (1914-1986).

History Highlights:

On May 26, 1521, Martin Luther was banned by the Edict of Worms because of his religious beliefs and writings.

In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges.

In 1908, the first major oil strike in the Middle East occurred in Masjid-i-Suleiman, Persia (present-day Iran).

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.

In 2004, nearly a decade after the Oklahoma City bombing, Terry Nichols was found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the attack. (Nichols later received 161 consecutive life sentences.)

Birthdays:

Actor James Arness is 86.

Singer Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) is 61.

Actress Pam Grier is 60.

Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 60.

Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 60.

Former astronaut Sally K. Ride is 58.

Actor Doug Hutchison is 49.

Actress Genie Francis is 47.

Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 47.

Singer Lenny Kravitz is 45.

Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 43.

Actor Joseph Fiennes is 39.

Actor-producer-writer Matt Stone is 38.

Contemporary Christian musician Nathan Cochran is 31.