CAMILLE BOHANNON

Singer, actress, and fashion designer Vanessa Williams
turned 59 in March.

On July 23, 1984, 21-year-old Vanessa Williams gave up her
Miss America title, the first resignation in the pageant’s history,
after Penthouse magazine announces plans to publish nude
photos of the beauty queen in its September issue. Williams
originally made history on September 17, 1983, when she
became the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown.

Miss New Jersey, Suzette Charles (below), the first runner-up
and also African American, assumed Williams’ tiara for the two
months that remained of her reign. 

   

Suzette Charles

In accordance with his statement of resignation the previous
evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ended his term as the 37th
president of the United States at noon on August 9, 1974. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House
lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a
victory or peace salute (above). The helicopter door was then
closed, and the Nixon family began their journey home to San
Clemente, California. Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president
to resign from office.

Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the
38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White
House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the
nation in a television address (below) declaring, “My fellow
Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”

In an evening televised address on August 8, 1974, President Richard M.
Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American
history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him
for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to
pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House.

ROSS SIMPSON

Actor Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is 63 years old today.

Denzel Washington won an Academy Award for Best Actor for
his role in the 2001 film Training Day. He has starred in several
films based on true events such as Remember the Titans (2000), 
Cry Freedom (1987), American Gangster (2007), Flight (2012), 
and Malcolm X (1992). 

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