Shortly after midnight on August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales (above)—
affectionately known as "the People’s Princess"—died in a car crash in Paris
at the age  of 36.  Her boyfriend, the Egyptian-born socialite Dodi Fayed, and
the driver of the car, Henri Paul, died as well.

Princess Diana was one of the most popular public figures in the world. Her
death was met with a massive outpouring of grief. Mourners began visiting Kensington Palace immediately, leaving bouquets at the home where the
princess, also known as Lady Di, would never return. Piles of flowers
reached some 30 feet from the palace’s gate (below).

Valerie Kathryn Harper (August 22, 1939 – August 30, 2019)

In 2009, Valerie Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer. She lost her fight with
the decease this morning in Los Angeles, 8 days after her 80th birthday.

Originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 to March 19, 1977.

Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D.

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Guion S. Bluford became the first African American to travel into space when the space shuttle Challenger lifts off on
its third mission. It was the first night launch of a space shuttle, and many
people stayed up late to watch the spacecraft roar up from Cape Canaveral,
Florida, at 2:32 a.m.

The Challenger spent six days in space, during which time Bluford and his
four fellow crew members launched a communications satellite for the
government of India, made contact with an errant communications satellite, conducted scientific experiments, and tested the shuttle’s robotic arm. Just
before dawn on September 5, the shuttle landed at Edwards Air Force Base
in California, bringing an end to the most flawless shuttle mission to that
date.

These five astronauts were the crew members for STS-8, Challenger. Richard M. Truly, center, crew commander. Daniel C. Brandenstein,
left, was the pilot. The mission specialists were Dale A. Gardner,
William E. Thornton (both on back row) and Guion S. Bluford.

Guion “Buy” Bluford will be 77 on Nov. 22.

ROSS SIMPSON

Hurricane Katrina slams into New Orleans, Louisiana.

President George W. Bush spoke on the Hurricane Katrina aftermath from Jackson Square in New Orleans. He discussed the devastation
and recovery efforts in response to the hurricane.