Research Maniacs

September 8^th is probably not a day that stands out in your mind unless it holds some sort of personal significance to you. There have actually been a lot of interesting, if not somewhat obscure, events that have happened on this date throughout history, though. No better day to remember a few of these events than today, a Throwback Thursday. Who knows, one of these events may inspire you to celebrate September 8^th annually from here on out.

Oprah’s First Show

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Oprah Winfrey’s first episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on this day in 1986. No one could have predicted what a splash this talk show would make on afternoon television. Today, the show remains as the highest-rated talk show in American television history. This first episode was called “How to Marry the Man/Woman of Your Choice”, but Winfrey would go on to tackle more serious issues, as well as showing her generous side with her famous audience-wide giveaways. Although the show is no longer on the air today, Winfrey certainly left her mark on television history.

Nixon Is Pardoned

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On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford addressed the American people to explain that he issued Proclamation 4311, which fully pardoned former President Richard Nixon for any crimes that may have been committed while he was in office. Ford said that he thought his decision was best for the country and the Nixon family. Critics of the move said that the only reason Ford pardoned Nixon was due to a deal the men struck up. The alleged deal was that Nixon agreed to resign from the presidency (which would put Ford in office) if Ford agreed to issue the proclamation. The American people evidently didn’t like the decision, either, as Ford lost the presidential election two years later in 1976.

Psycho Is Released

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The now classic movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho, was released nationwide on this day in 1960. Known for its iconic shower scene featuring the creepy music and Janet Leigh’s scream, the film still inspires creators today. The film actually received mixed reviews after it was released, but moviegoers flocked to the box office to secure their ticket. If you never knew where the famous motel from the television show Bates Motel originated, it was in this Hitchcock film.

The Old Man And The Sea Is Published

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The Old Man and the Sea is one of Ernest Hemingway’s most famous novels despite being less than 130 pages long. Hemingway wrote this, his final major novel, from the Bahamas and the story revolves around Santiago, an elderly Cuban man, who is struggling to catch a huge marlin. Published on this day in 1952, this novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction the following year.

Scotch Tape Is Invented

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Richard Gurley Drew is probably not a name you recognize, but you most likely use the product he invented on this day in 1930 quite frequently. Drew was an inventor who worked for large companies like Johnson & Johnson and 3M before inventing masking and cellophane tapes. He came up with the idea of masking tape while testing sandpaper at an auto shop. He observed how difficult it was to create a border between two colors while trying to perfect the two-tone paint job.

Do you have any special memories from September 8?

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