This Day In History, August 17th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on August 17th
The first successful steamboat, Clermont, built by Robert Fulton, set sail from New York City to Albany in 1807.
Leo Frank, a Jewish-American manufacturing manager, was murdered in Marietta, Georgia, in 1915, after being convicted of the murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old factory worker.
Following the end of World War II, Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands in 1945.
Hurricane Camille, one of the most powerful and destructive storms to batter the United States, made landfall near Pass Christian, Mississippi, wreaking significant devastation and killing over 250 people.
In a videotaped statement in 1998, US President Bill Clinton acknowledged to having a "improper physical relationship" with White House staffer Monica Lewinsky.
1807: The first successful steamboat, Clermont, built by Robert Fulton, began its maiden voyage from New York City to Albany.
Robert Fulton planned and built the riverboat Clermont, also known as the North River riverboat, which was launched on August 17, 1807. The steamboat completed her inaugural journey from New York City to Albany, a distance of approximately 150 miles, in slightly over 32 hours. The voyage's success established the potential of steam power for water transportation, and the Clermont became a model for future steamboats that would soon traverse the United States' rivers and waterways.
1915: Leo Frank, a Jewish-American factory manager, was lynched in Marietta, Georgia, after being convicted of the murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old girl who worked in his factory.
Leo Frank was a Jewish-American factory manager who was convicted of murdering Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old girl who worked in his Marietta, Georgia business, in 1913. Frank was found guilty and put to death despite evidence pointing to his innocence and a faulty trial. Following numerous appeals and legal battles, Georgia's governor commuted his sentence to life in prison. On August 16, 1915, a crowd of around 25 men, some of them were influential residents, burst into the prison where Frank was being housed and grabbed him. Frank was killed the next day in Marietta, Georgia, in one of the most notorious episodes of anti-Semitic violence in American history. The case sparked global outcry and fueled the fledgling civil rights movement in the United States.
1945: Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands, following the end of World War II.
After more than three centuries of Dutch colonial control, Indonesia proclaimed independence from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945. The proclamation of independence came after World War II, when the Netherlands was occupied by Germany and the Indonesian independence movement gained traction. Initially, the Dutch government refused to recognize Indonesian independence and dispatched troops to quell the rebellion. The ensuing struggle, known as the Indonesian National Revolution, lasted four years and killed an estimated 100,000 Indonesians as well as several thousand Dutch soldiers. After international pressure and negotiations mediated by the United Nations, the Netherlands finally recognized Indonesian independence in December 1949.
1969: Hurricane Camille, one of the strongest and most devastating hurricanes to hit the United States, made landfall in Pass Christian, Mississippi, causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of more than 250 people.
Hurricane Camille was one of the most powerful and destructive storms to strike the United States, making landfall on the Gulf Coast on August 17, 1969. The hurricane generated winds of up to 190 miles per hour and a storm surge of up to 24 feet in certain regions, inflicting significant devastation and flooding. Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama were especially heavily struck, with more than 250 people killed and many more left homeless. The storm caused an estimated $1.4 billion in damage (equal to around $10 billion in 2021), making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in US history at the time. storm Camille's damage prompted advancements in storm forecasting, evacuation planning, and construction rules throughout the Gulf Coast.
1998: U.S. President Bill Clinton admitted in a televised address that he had an "improper physical relationship" with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
On August 17, 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton delivered a nationally broadcast statement in which he admitted to having a "improper physical relationship" with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. The disclosure came after months of investigations and legal actions concerning claims that Clinton and Lewinsky had a sexual connection. The Clinton-Lewinsky controversy, often known as the Lewinsky affair, had enormous political and cultural repercussions in the United States. The House of Representatives impeached President Clinton on accusations of perjury and obstruction of justice during the ensuing impeachment process. The Senate, however, acquitted Clinton, and he served out the balance of his second term, which concluded in January 2001. The controversy had long-term consequences for Clinton's administration and popular view of him.