The 1980s

1981 45 years ago

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, the first operational aircraft initially designed around stealth technology, makes its fir

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, subsonic, twin-engined stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's Skunk Works division and operated by the Unit…

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, the first operational aircraft initially designed around stealth technology, makes its fir

1981 45 years ago

The Humber Bridge opens to traffic, connecting Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

The Humber Bridge is a 2.22-kilometre single-span road suspension bridge near Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. When it opened to traffic on 24 June 1981, it w…

The Humber Bridge opens to traffic, connecting Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

1981 45 years ago

Microsoft is restructured to become an incorporated business in its home state of Washington

Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The company became influential in the rise of personal computers through…

Microsoft is restructured to become an incorporated business in its home state of Washington

1981 45 years ago

Dan-Air Flight 240, flying to East Midlands Airport, crashes in Nailstone, Leicestershire

Dan-Air Flight 240 was a fatal accident involving a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 series 2A turboprop aircraft operated by Dan Air Services Limited on the first stage of a night mail flig…

Dan-Air Flight 240, flying to East Midlands Airport, crashes in Nailstone, Leicestershire

1981 45 years ago

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party issues its "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our P

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, officially the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is the highest organ when the national congress is not in se…

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party issues its "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our P

1981 45 years ago

Lise Klaveness, Norwegian footballer and lawyer, president of the Norwegian Football Federation

Lise Klaveness is a Norwegian lawyer and former footballer who played 73 matches for Norway's national team between 2002 and 2011. She is currently the president of the Norwegian F…

Lise Klaveness, Norwegian footballer and lawyer, president of the Norwegian Football Federation

1981 45 years ago

Troy Polamalu, American football player

Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 12-year career as a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (…

Troy Polamalu, American football player

1981 45 years ago

Taylor Dent, American tennis player

Taylor Phillip Dent is a retired professional tennis player from the United States. He reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 21, winning 4 singles titles.

Taylor Dent, American tennis player

1981 45 years ago

Yuko Nakanishi, Japanese swimmer

Yuko Nakanishi is a Japanese butterfly swimmer.

Yuko Nakanishi, Japanese swimmer

1981 45 years ago

Felipe Massa, Brazilian racing driver

Felipe Massa is a Brazilian racing driver, who competes in the Stock Car Pro Series for TMG and in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Riley. Massa competed in Formula One from 200…

Felipe Massa, Brazilian racing driver

1981 45 years ago

A powerful bomb explodes in Tehran, killing 73 officials of the Islamic Republican Party

On 28 June 1981, a powerful bomb went off at the headquarters of the Islamic Republican Party (IRP) in Tehran, while a meeting of party leaders was in progress. Seventy-four leadin…

A powerful bomb explodes in Tehran, killing 73 officials of the Islamic Republican Party

1981 45 years ago

A structural failure leads to the collapse of a walkway at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri, killing 114…

On July 17, 1981, two overhead walkways in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, collapsed, killing 114 people and injuring 216. Loaded with partygoers, the concrete an…

A structural failure leads to the collapse of a walkway at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri, killing 114…

1981 45 years ago

A Canadair CL-44 and Sukhoi Su-15 collide in mid-air near Yerevan, Armenia, killing four.

The Canadair CL-44 was a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia that was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s…

A Canadair CL-44 and Sukhoi Su-15 collide in mid-air near Yerevan, Armenia, killing four.

1981 45 years ago

In a private meeting with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, French President François Mitterrand reveals the existence of…

Ronald Wilson Reagan was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. A member of the Republican Party, he became an im…

In a private meeting with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, French President François Mitterrand reveals the existence of…

1981 45 years ago

Somali Airlines Flight 40 crashes in Balad, Somalia, killing 50 people.

On 20 July 1981, Somali Airlines Flight 40, a Fokker F27-600 Friendship operating a daily scheduled domestic passenger flight from Mogadishu International Airport to Hargeisa Airpo…

Somali Airlines Flight 40 crashes in Balad, Somalia, killing 50 people.

1981 45 years ago

While landing at Chihuahua International Airport, Aeromexico Flight 230 overshoots the runway. Thirty-two of the 66…

Chihuahua International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Chihuahua); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Roberto Fierro Villalobos (General Roberto Fierro Vill…

While landing at Chihuahua International Airport, Aeromexico Flight 230 overshoots the runway. Thirty-two of the 66…

1981 45 years ago

John McFall, English sprinter

John McFall is a British Paralympic sprinter, a surgeon, and the first disabled astronaut.

John McFall, English sprinter

1981 45 years ago

Anja Pärson, Swedish skier

Anja Sofia Tess Pärson is a Swedish former alpine skier. She is an Olympic gold medalist, seven-time gold medalist at the World Championships, and two-time overall Alpine Skiing Wo…

Anja Pärson, Swedish skier

1981 45 years ago

Caro Emerald, Dutch pop and jazz singer

Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw, formerly known as Caro Emerald and lately part of the music project The Jordan, is a Dutch pop and jazz singer who mainly performs in English. Act…

Caro Emerald, Dutch pop and jazz singer

1981 45 years ago

Ms

Naomi Arleen McLean-Daley, better known as Ms. Dynamite, is a British singer and rapper. She is the recipient of the Mercury Music Prize, two Brit Awards and three MOBO Awards.

Ms

1981 45 years ago

A worldwide television audience of around 750 million people watch the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady…

The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral in London, England. The groom was the heir apparent to the Britis…

A worldwide television audience of around 750 million people watch the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady…

1981 45 years ago

After impeachment on June 21, Abolhassan Banisadr flees with Massoud Rajavi to Paris, in an Iranian Air Force Boeing…

Abolhassan Banisadr was an Iranian politician, writer, and political dissident who served as the first president of Iran following the Iranian Revolution, holding office from 1980 …

After impeachment on June 21, Abolhassan Banisadr flees with Massoud Rajavi to Paris, in an Iranian Air Force Boeing…

1981 45 years ago

As many as 50,000 demonstrators, mostly women and children, took to the streets in Łódź to protest food ration…

Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located 120 km (75 mi) south-west of Warsaw. As of 2025, Łódź has a p…

As many as 50,000 demonstrators, mostly women and children, took to the streets in Łódź to protest food ration…

1981 45 years ago

Audrey Tang, Taiwanese Minister of Digital Affairs and programmer

Tang Feng, also known by her English name Audrey, is a Taiwanese politician and free software programmer who served as the first Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan from August 2…

Audrey Tang, Taiwanese Minister of Digital Affairs and programmer