The day of Elvis Presley’s funeral, August 17, 1977, FTD delivered
more than 3,100 floral arrangements, wiping out Memphis-area
florists and setting a record for the most flowers sold in the US
in a single day.

 
CAMILLE BOHANNON

Madonna in 1976.

Madonna, singer and actress known for her boundary-
pushing, ever-changing persona. Hits include "Like a
Virgin" and "Like a Prayer", is 67 years young today.

Former New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle died of liver
cancer at the age of 63. While he patrolled center field and
batted clean-up between 1951 and 1968, the Yankees won
12 American League pennants and seven World Series
championships.

Danielle Spencer, a fan favorite for her role as Dee Thomas
on the classic sitcom What’s Happening!!, has passed away.

Spencer died on Monday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia,
as confirmed by her What’s Happening!! co-star, Haywood
Nelson, to The Hollywood Reporter.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double
mastectomy in 2014. In 2018, she had emergency surgery
to address brain bleeding.

Released August 5, 1976 – April 28, 1979 on ABC.

 
CARLATA BRADLEY

A Russian nuclear submarine sank to the bottom of the Barents
Sea on August 12, 2000; all 118 crew members are later found
dead. The exact cause of the disaster remains unknown.

Kursk left port on August 10 to take part in war games with the
Russian military. Russian ships, planes and submarines met
up in the Barents Sea, which is above the Arctic Circle, to
practice military maneuvers.