1987⚡ Event
R. Budd Dwyer suicide during press conference
Convicted of bribery, Pennsylvania state treasurer R. Budd Dwyer committed suicide during a televised press conference on January 22, 1987.
politicslaw
What Happened in 1987?
Explore 31 historical moments from 1987 — 31 events, 0 birthdays, and 0 notable deaths.
Events in 1987(31)
1987⚡ Event
Civil rights demonstration in Georgia
About 20,000 protestors marched in a civil rights demonstration in Forsyth County, Georgia, United States.
law
1987⚡ Event
Mary Gaudron appointed to High Court of Australia
Mary Gaudron became the first woman appointed as a justice to the High Court of Australia. This marked a significant milestone for women in law.
lawpolitics
1987⚡ Event
Operation Pretense Corruption Indictments
Federal agents issued indictments against county supervisors in Mississippi following Operation Pretense. The operation exposed massive corruption in the state's local governments.
lawpolitics
1987⚡ Event
SN 1987A Supernova Observed
SN 1987A, the first supernova studied in detail by modern astronomers, was observed from Earth. It occurred in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
sciencespace
1987⚡ Event
Herald of Free Enterprise Capsizing
The ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized while leaving the harbor of Zeebrugge, Belgium, resulting in the deaths of 193 people.
disaster
1987⚡ Event
Jim Bakker Resigns from PTL Club
American televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as the host of The PTL Club in the midst of a sex scandal.
religionentertainment
1987⚡ Event
Zidovudine approved for HIV/AIDS
The antiretroviral drug zidovudine became the first treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for HIV/AIDS on March 20, 1987.
medicinelaw
1987⚡ Event
The Simpsons' First Appearance
The fictional Simpson family made their first appearance in the short "Good Night", aired in a segment of The Tracey Ullman Show.
entertainment
1987⚡ Event
Loughgall Ambush
A British Special Air Service unit ambushed an Irish Republican Army unit in Loughgall, Northern Ireland. Eight IRA members and one civilian were killed.
warpolitics
1987⚡ Event
USS Stark Attacked
An Iraqi jet fired two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark, killing 37 personnel and injuring 21 others.
warpolitics
1987⚡ Event
Hindu–Muslim riots in Meerut
During Hindu–Muslim rioting in Meerut, India, 19 members of the Provincial Armed Constabulary allegedly massacred 42 Muslims. Their bodies were dumped in water canals.
politicslaw
1987⚡ Event
Mathias Rust lands in Moscow
West German aviator Mathias Rust flew his Cessna 172 through Soviet air defenses, landing near Red Square in Moscow.
politicslaw
1987⚡ Event
Jonathan Pollard pleads guilty to spying
American intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard pleaded guilty to charges of spying for Israel.
politicslaw
1987⚡ Event
South Korean Protests for Direct Presidential Elections
Mass protests demanding direct presidential elections broke out across South Korea. This period is known as the June Democratic Struggle.
politics
1987⚡ Event
Montreal flood of 1987
More than 100 mm of rain fell in a two-and-a-half-hour period in parts of Montreal, causing severe flooding.
disaster
1987⚡ Event
Iran-Iraq War: SS Bridgeton damaged
In opposition to the American plan to protect Kuwaiti tankers, Iran laid mines and damaged the SS Bridgeton, resulting in a propaganda victory for Iran.
warpoliticseconomics
1987⚡ Event
Lynne Cox swims the Bering Strait
Lynne Cox became the first person to swim between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, crossing the Bering Strait in 2 hours and 5 minutes.
explorationsports
1987⚡ Event
Ryugyong Hotel Construction Begins
Construction commenced on the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, which would become the country's tallest building.
1987⚡ Event
Burundian president deposed in coup
While he was abroad, Burundian president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état. Pierre Buyoya seized power.
politicswar
1987⚡ Event
Operation Pawan
The Indian Peace Keeping Force began Operation Pawan to take control of Jaffna from the Tamil Tigers during the Sri Lankan Civil War.
warpolitics
1987⚡ Event
Great March for LGBT Rights
An estimated 750,000 people attended the "Great March" in Washington, D.C., to demand greater civil rights for the LGBT community.
politics
1987⚡ Event
Iran–Iraq War: U.S. destroys Iranian oil platforms
U.S. Navy forces destroyed two Iranian oil platforms in the Persian Gulf. This action was in response to an earlier Iranian missile attack on a Kuwaiti oil tanker.
warpolitics
1987⚡ Event
Nixon in China premiere
John Adams' opera 'Nixon in China' premiered. The opera is a significant work in contemporary opera.
artsmusic
1987⚡ Event
Singapore MRT Line Opens
Singapore's first Mass Rapid Transit line opened, with train services running between Yio Chu Kang and Toa Payoh.
technology
1987⚡ Event
Tunisian Coup d'état
Tunisian prime minister Zine El Abidine Ben Ali deposed President Habib Bourguiba, declaring him medically unfit for office.
politics
1987⚡ Event
Enniskillen Bombing
A Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb exploded during a Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. The attack killed 12 people and injured 63 others.
warpoliticsdisaster
1987⚡ Event
Max Headroom signal hijacking
Two television stations in Chicago had their broadcast signals hijacked with footage of an unknown person wearing a Max Headroom mask and costume on November 22, 1987.
entertainmenttechnology
1987⚡ Event
South African Airways Flight 295 Crash
South African Airways Flight 295 crashed into the Indian Ocean on November 28, 1987, after an in-flight fire, killing all 159 people on board.
disaster
1987⚡ Event
Korean Air Flight 858 bombing
A time bomb planted by North Korean agents on Korean Air Flight 858 detonated over the Andaman Sea, killing all 115 people on board.
disaster
1987⚡ Event
MV Doña Paz disaster
The MV Doña Paz sank after colliding with an oil tanker in the Philippines on December 20, 1987. This resulted in an estimated 4,385 deaths, making it the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history.
disasterlaw
Born in 1987(0)
No births recorded for 1987.
Deaths in 1987(0)
No deaths recorded for 1987.
Dates in 1987
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened in 1987?
- 1987 saw 31 notable historical moments, including 31 events, 0 famous birthdays, and 0 notable deaths.
- What were the biggest events of 1987?
- Key events of 1987 include: R. Budd Dwyer suicide during press conference, Civil rights demonstration in Georgia, Mary Gaudron appointed to High Court of Australia.
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