From breaking sound barriers to record sales, it’s clear that the 18th of May has always been a day to challenge the norm. So what are some of the other interesting events that have taken place on this memorable day?

Let’s take a look at these three amazing events.

1953 – Booming Accomplishments

Jacqueline Cochran – born Bessie Lee Pittman – grew up in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. As a young girl, she jumped from job to job, bouncing from a position at a cotton mill to a beauty salon, before moving on to study nursing.

Floyd Odlum – founder and president of the Atlas Corporation, and Cochran’s future husband – encouraged her to learn how to fly. After only three weeks of lessons, the ambitious woman was officially considered a qualified pilot. Turning out to be naturally gifted, Cochran went on to get her advanced training, instrument rating as well as her commercial and transport pilot licences.

Throughout her aviation career, the skilled pilot went on to break records on a regular basis, while pushing for women’s rights in the industry. During World War II, Cochran became the director of the historic Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), who retroactively received military status for their efforts.

On 18 May 1953, the pilot wowed the world when she became the first woman to break the sound barrier at Rogers Dry Lake, California. By her side was Major Charles “Chuck” Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier, who coached and encouraged her.

1999 – Boys Will Be Boys

Ah, the 1990s. A time when boy bands ruled the airwaves and dance-pop was a language of its own. The Backstreet Boys were joining well-known bands like NSYNC and Westlife in becoming internationally recognised.

Having released two prior albums – their self-titled LP followed by “Backstreet’s Back” – the five-piece crew knew they had to mark the turn of the century with something big. On 18 May 1999, the quintet released “Millennium”, their third studio album, featuring their renowned single “I Want It That Way” which would go on to become the band’s most commercially successful song.

The LP was well received, as fans rushed to stores around the world to get their hands on a copy, causing it to become one of the best-selling albums of all time as over 30 million copies were sold worldwide.

“Millennium” entered the Billboard 200 chart at number one and remained on the charts for an astonishing 93 weeks. Not bad for a teen-pop band!

2007 – Layers of Onions and Ogres

These days, most people have fond memories of a giant, green ogre going on adventures with an overly friendly (not to mention talkative) donkey, voiced by actor Eddie Murphy. The “Shrek” franchise began in 2001 when the grumpy anti-hero – voiced by actor Mike Meyers – began an adventure to rescue a kidnapped princess – with vocals from Cameron Diaz – from a dragon.

“Onions have layers. Ogres have layers… You get it? We both have layers,” Shrek stresses to Donkey, while trying to explain there was more to him than what could be seen on the surface. It was an unexpected analogy that would stick with people for decades to come.

One of the highest-grossing films of its time, the memorable script, animation, cast and soundtrack made its way around the world. Just three years later, the film was followed by an aptly named sequel: “Shrek 2”, which gained similar recognition.

On 18 May 2007, DreamWorks released the next film of the franchise named – you guessed it – “Shrek the Third”. While the movie didn’t receive quite the same reception as its predecessors, it still grossed $813.4 million in sales at the box office.

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