It happened on a… August 9

U.S. PresidentRichard Nixon formally resigned. Gerald R. Ford took his place, and became the 38th president of the U.S.

Followers led by Charles Manson murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent.

US drops second atomic bomb “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, Japan, destroying part of the city.

A.J. Fisher received a patent for the electric washing machine.

The escalator was patented by Nathan Ames.