This Day In History, August 31st.
Five Historical Events That Happened on August 31st
1888: Mary Ann Nichols, the first known victim of the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper, was found murdered in London's Whitechapel district on August 31st, 1888.
1997: Princess Diana, her partner Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul died in a car crash in Paris, France on August 31st, 1997.
1991: Uzbekistan declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 31st, 1991.
1920: The first radio news program was broadcasted by station 8MK (now WWJ) in Detroit, Michigan, on August 31st, 1920.
1962: Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Great Britain on August 31st, 1962
1888: Mary Ann Nichols, the first known victim of the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper, was found murdered in London's Whitechapel district on August 31st, 1888.
Mary Ann Nichols, a 43-year-old prostitute, was found killed in the early hours of August 31st, 1888 in Buck's Row (now Durward Street) in Whitechapel, London. Her throat had been slashed twice, and she'd been disemboweled. Her death is regarded as the first of the five canonical killings perpetrated by Jack the Ripper, a serial killer who was never apprehended and whose identity is still unknown to this day.
1997: Princess Diana, her partner Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul died in a car crash in Paris, France on August 31st, 1997.
On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana, her lover Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul were killed in a vehicle accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. The automobile they were in slammed into a post at tremendous speed, killing all three passengers instantaneously. The news of Princess Diana's death shocked the world and prompted millions of people to express their sadness. The incident was ultimately revealed to be the result of a combination of excessive speed and the driver's drunkenness.
1991: Uzbekistan declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 31st, 1991.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, a constituent republic of the Soviet Union since 1924, declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991. Uzbekistan was the first country in Central Asia to proclaim independence from the Soviet Union. Uzbekistan created a presidential form of government after winning independence and followed an economic reform and market liberalization program. Uzbekistan is now a member of the UN and the Commonwealth of Independent States, with a population of over 34 million people.
1920: The first radio news program was broadcasted by station 8MK (now WWJ) in Detroit, Michigan, on August 31st, 1920.
On August 31, 1920, station 8MK, subsequently called WWJ, carried the first radio news program from its studios in Detroit, Michigan. The show featured a 20-minute newscast that contained local and worldwide news, weather updates, and sports scores. The program was a watershed moment in the history of radio journalism, helping to establish radio as a significant source of news and information. WWJ is still on the air today and is one of the country's oldest continually operational radio stations.
1962: Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Great Britain on August 31st, 1962
Trinidad and Tobago won independence from the United Kingdom on August 31, 1962. Since 1802, the country had been a British colony, and independence marked the end of a long struggle for self-rule. Trinidad and Tobago's independence campaign was led by personalities such as Eric Williams, who became the country's first prime minister following independence. Trinidad and Tobago is now a Caribbean sovereign state with a population of about 1.3 million people. The country is well-known for its vivid culture, music, and carnival festivities.