On September 17, 1983, 20-year-old Vanessa Williams became
the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. Less
than a year later, on July 23, 1984, Williams gave up her crown
after nude photos of her surfaced.
Despite the scandal, Williams later launched a successful
singing and acting career, including a featured role on the
television sitcom Ugly Betty.
Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson, one of the brothers who made
up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died.
On September 15, , Jackson suffered a heart attack while on a
business road trip in Gallup, New Mexico and died a local
hospital.
Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, which include
global superstars Michael and sister Janet, part of a music-
making family whose songs are still beloved today.
On September 17, 1976, NASA publicly unveiled its first space
shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in Palmdale, California.
Development of the aircraft-like spacecraft cost almost $10 billion
and took nearly a decade. In 1977, the Enterprise became the first
space shuttle to fly freely when it was lifted to a height of 25,000
feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to
Edwards Air Force Base on its own accord.
The space shuttle Enterprise rolled out of the Palmdale manufacturing facilities and was greeted by NASA
officials and cast members from the ‘Star Trek’ TV
series.
From left to right they are: NASA Administrator Dr.
James D. Fletcher; DeForest Kelley, who portrayed
Dr. "Bones" McCoy on the series; George Takei
(Mr. Sulu); James Doohan (Chief Engineer
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott); Nichelle Nichols
(Lt. Uhura); Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock); series
creator Gene Roddenberry; an unnamed NASA
official; and, Walter Koenig (Ensign Pavel Chekov).
The Constitution of the United States of America was signed
by 39 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia. Supporters of the document waged
a hard-won battle to win ratification by the necessary nine out
of 13 U.S. states.
