August 8th
Today in 1796,the Boston African Society was established with 44 members.
Today in 1863,Tennessee's "military" Governor Andrew Johnson freed his personal slaves.
Today in 1925,the first national march of Ku Klux Klan took place in Washington, D.C. with 25-thousand marchers in place.
Today in 1968,Richard M. Nixon was nominated for President at the Republican national convention in Miami Beach.
Today in 1973,Vice President Spiro Agnew called the reports that he had taken kickbacks from government contracts in Maryland “damned lies.” He vowed never to resign,though he eventually did, on October 10th, 1973.
Today in 1974, President Richard Nixon announced his resignation in the wake of further evidence of his direct involvement in the Watergate scandal and cover-up. It became effective the next day.
Today in 1983,TV reporter Christine Craftwas awarded $500,000 in her sex discrimination suit against Metromedia. She charged that she had been demoted from news anchor to reporter after a focus group had determined she was "too old, too unattractive and wouldn't defer to men."While her award was eventually overturned, ultimately, Craft has been seen as a trailblazer for women in media.
Today in 1992,the "Dream Team"clinched the Gold medal at the Barcelona Summer Olympics. The U.S. basketball team beat Croatia 117-85.
Today in 1998,President Clinton,in his weekly radio address, vowed that the bombers of two U.S. embassies in Africa would be brought to justice, "no matter how long it takes or where it takes us."
Today in 2000,the submarine H.L. Hunley was raised from ocean bottom after 136 years. The sub had been lost during an attack on the U.S.S. Housatonic in 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink a warship.
Today in 2002,Saddam Hussein organized a big military parade and then warned “the forces of evil” not to attack Iraq as he sought once more to shift the debate away from world demands that he live up to agreements that ended the Gulf War.
Today in 2007,an EF2 tornado touched down Brooklyn, New York- the most powerful tornado New York had seen to date.
Today in 2008,former Democratic presidential candidate and vice-presidential nominee John Edwards saw his political dreams vanish for good as he admitted having an extramarital affair.
Today in 2009,Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the U.S. Supreme Court’s first Hispanic and third female justice.
Today in 2017,President Donald Trump said continued North Korean threats aimed at the United States would cause the U.S. to respond with “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
Today in 2018,Academy of Motion Pictures revealed the new "Popular Film" category for the Oscars. The idea? To celebrate popular movies as well as the snootier “Best” films. The plan didn’t last for long, however. Thanks to public backlash, the Academy nixed the idea a month later.