On This Day, Aug. 12: White supremacist drives car into Charlottesville, Va., protesters, killing Heather Heyer

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Thousands of flowers and messages cover the street in a makeshift memorial at the site where Heather Heyer was killed August 13, 2017, when a car hit a group of people protesting against a rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va. File Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 12 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1851, Isaac Singer was granted a patent for his sewing machine. He set up business in Boston with $40 in capital.

In 1898, a peace protocol was signed, ending the Spanish-American War. The United States acquired Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, and annexed Hawaii.

In 1939, The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, had its world premiere in Oconomowoc, Wis.

In 1966, as the Beatles were beginning their last tour, John Lennon apologized for saying they were more popular than Jesus Christ.

In 1973, Jack Nicklaus won the PGA championship for his 14th major title, surpassing Bobby Jones’ record of 13. Nicklaus won 18 majors in his career.

In 1981, IBM introduced the first personal computer.

In 1984, the 23rd Olympic Games ended in Los Angeles. It had a record attendance of 5.5 million people despite a Soviet-led boycott.

File Photo by Steve W Grayson/UPI

In 1985, in aviation’s worst single-plane disaster, a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 slammed into a mountain in central Japan, killing 520 people. Four passengers survived.

In 1992, President George H.W. Bush announced the completion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada, creating the world’s largest free trade bloc. President Bill Clinton signed the agreement into law on December 8, 1993.

In 2012, officials in Iran said the death toll from two earthquakes that struck the northwestern part of the country rose to 250, with at least 2,000 others injured.

File Photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPI

In 2015, a series of powerful explosions rocked the Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing 173 people and injuring hundreds more.

In 2016, swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most decorated U.S. woman athlete at a single Olympics, winning four golds and one silver.

In 2017, a car plowed through a crowd of counterprotesters at a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., killing Heather Heyer. The driver of the vehicle, James Fields Jr., was sentenced to life in prison plus 419 years after pleading guilty to federal hate crime charges.

In 2021, census data showed that the white population in the United States declined for the first time in history.