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.
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.
On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth,
England, bound for the Americas with 102 passengers. The
ship was headed for Virginia, where the colonists—half
religious dissenters and half entrepreneurs—had been
authorized to settle by the British crown.
However, stormy weather and navigational errors forced the
Mayflower off course, and on November 21 the “Pilgrims”
reached Massachusetts, where they founded the first
permanent European settlement in New England in late
December.
The famous picture of Marilyn Monroe, laughing as her skirt
is blown up by the blast from a subway vent, was shot on
September 15, 1954 during the filming of The Seven Year
Itch.
The scene infuriated her husband, Joe DiMaggio, who felt it
was exhibitionist, and the couple divorced shortly afterward.
