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80s history
Welcome to the We Love the Eighties Community
This community is dedicated to the music, movies, television, games, radio, and pop culture that defined the 1980s. It is a place for people who lived the decade, as well as those who appreciate what made it unforgettable. Members use this forum to check in during live radio blocks, share weekly listening memories, and talk about what the music, shows, and moments of the 80s bring back for them. Guests are welcome to browse selected discussions, while full participation requires registration. If you would like to understand the intent behind this community and how it is curated, you can read more here: About This Community. Explore current conversations, share your memories, and take part in a community built around real 80s experiences.
On this day April 7, 1983, astronauts Story Musgrave and Don Peterson made history by performing the first ever spacewalk from a space shuttle during NASA’s STS 6 mission aboard Challenger. This groundbreaking extravehicular activity marked a key step in the evolution of shuttle era missions and...
On this day April 7, 1985, the New York Easter Parade was broadcast live on television for the first time, bringing one of the city’s most colorful and beloved traditions into homes across the country. For decades, the Easter Parade had been a popular annual event along Fifth Avenue, where...
On this day April 7, 1983, archaeologist Fred Wendorf made a groundbreaking discovery in Egypt — the oldest known human skeleton at the time, estimated to be around 80,000 years old. Found near the Nile Valley, the discovery offered incredible insight into early human life in North Africa and...
On this day April 6, 1981, Post it Notes officially went on sale across the United States, becoming one of the most unexpected office supply success stories of all time. What started as a failed attempt to create a super strong adhesive at 3M turned into a revolutionary way to leave quick...
On this day April 4 1988 Arizona Governor Evan Mecham was impeached and removed from office making him the first governor in the state’s history to be ousted through impeachment. The Arizona State Senate convicted Mecham on charges of obstruction of justice and misuse of government funds.
His...
On this day April 4 1983 Space Shuttle Challenger launched on its maiden voyage from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission, known as STS-6, marked NASA’s sixth space shuttle flight and the very first for Challenger, which would go on to complete nine successful missions.
The shuttle...
On this day April 4 1984 President Ronald Reagan called for a worldwide agreement to ban the production and use of chemical weapons. Speaking during a televised news conference Reagan urged the global community to come together and eliminate one of the most dangerous classes of weapons from...
On this day April 2 1986 Alabama Governor George Wallace announced that he would not seek re election and would retire at the end of his term in January 1987. Known as one of the most controversial figures in American politics Wallace served four terms as governor and left a complex legacy.
He...
On this day April 2 1980 United States President Jimmy Carter signed the Crude Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act into law. This legislation imposed a higher tax rate on oil companies to address the sharp rise in oil prices and capture some of the profits generated during the energy crisis.
The tax...
On this day April 1 1984 music legend Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his father Marvin Gay Sr. during a heated argument at their Los Angeles home. The shocking tragedy occurred just one day before Marvin’s 45th birthday and stunned fans around the world.
Marvin Gaye was a key figure in...
On this day March 31 1980 President Jimmy Carter signed into law a major piece of financial legislation that began the process of deregulating the banking industry. The Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act aimed to modernize the financial system in response to rising...
On this day March 30 1981 U.S. President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley Jr. outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. The assassination attempt shocked the nation and led to a wave of support for the president as he recovered.
Hinckley opened fire as Reagan...
On this day March 30 1984 New York police detective Robert Cunningham left what became known as the world’s biggest tip. Dining at his regular spot at Sal’s Italian Restaurant in Yonkers Cunningham didn’t have enough cash for a proper tip and jokingly offered to split a $1 lottery ticket with...
On this day March 30 1980 the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was officially ordered to liquidate its assets after years of financial trouble. Once a major player in American rail transport the railroad had been struggling with debt and declining freight and passenger service through...
On this day March 29 1983 Erno Rubik was officially granted a patent for the Rubik’s Cube in the United States. Although the colorful 3D puzzle was invented in 1974 and originally called the Magic Cube it wouldn’t take long after the patent for it to become a full-blown international craze.
The...
On this day March 26 1989 the Soviet Union conducted its first partially free nationwide elections for the Congress of People's Deputies. This historic event marked a significant shift in Soviet politics allowing for a degree of electoral competition previously unseen in the country's history...
On this day March 26 1982 the first ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was held in Washington DC. Though the memorial would not be officially dedicated until later that year this early ceremony marked a powerful moment of recognition for the more than 58000 Americans who lost their lives...
On this day March 24 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound Alaska and spilled an estimated 240000 barrels of crude oil into the ocean. The spill quickly became one of the worst environmental disasters in US history contaminating over 1300 miles of coastline and...
On this day March 23 1983 President Ronald Reagan introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative to the American people. The plan aimed to develop a space-based missile defense system to protect the United States from nuclear attacks. The media quickly dubbed it Star Wars due to its futuristic...
On this day March 22 1982 NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from Kennedy Space Center on its third mission STS-3. This was Columbia's final test flight before operational missions began marking another major step in the Space Shuttle program. The mission was piloted by Commander Jack...
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