1. On May 18, 1896, the Arkansas Supreme Court declared the Separate Coach Law, which mandated segregation on trains, to be constitutional in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. This decision was later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in a landmark ruling that established the "separate but equal" doctrine.

2. In 1927, the city of Little Rock was hit by a devastating tornado on May 18. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak of severe weather that caused widespread damage and claimed the lives of over 300 people throughout the Midwest and South.

3. On May 18, 1958, the Arkansas State Capitol was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Capitol building, which was completed in 1915, is widely recognized as one of the most impressive state capitol buildings in the country.

4. The University of Arkansas at Monticello was founded on May 18, 1909, as the Fourth District Agricultural School. The school initially focused on agricultural education and training, but has since expanded to offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

5. On May 18, 1996, the Miss Arkansas pageant was held in Hot Springs. The pageant, which has been held annually since 1935, is a popular event that showcases the talents, intelligence, and beauty of young women from across the state. The winner of the 1996 pageant was Alyse Eady, who later went on to become the first runner-up in the Miss America pageant.