15 Things That Happened in the 80s That You Totally Forgot About
This decade was wild.
To say the 1980s was an eventful decade would be a severe understatement. From a celebrity setting himself on fire to finding holes in our zone layer to the "wedding of the century," the 80s made a lasting impact on politics, pop culture, the environment and beyond. Here are some of the strangest and most memorable things that happened in the 80s, which you may have forgotten about.
1980: The Mariel Boatlift from Cuba makes headlines.
In what was an already a tense moment between Cuba and the United States, Fidel Castro agreed to allow thousands of Cubans seeking asylum to leave the island for Miami in September of 1980. This forever changed the makeup of Miami, as well as how the country viewed immigration.
1980: Richard Pryor sets himself on fire.
In what can be considered one of the stranger moments of 1980, Richard Pryor doused his body with rum, set himself on fire and ran down his neighborhood street in California on June 9th. Fortunately, Pryor was stopped and given medical attention allowing him to not only survive, but continue his career in comedy.
1981: Bob Marley dies of skin cancer.
Bob Marley, the King of Reggae, entranced audiences with his spiritual voice and lyrics. In May of 1981, Marley succumbed to his cancer and was laid to rest. This capped a decade of the Rastafarian movement, which Marley had made popular, and left fans mourning for years to come.
1981: Pope John Paul II survives an assassination attempt.
May of 1981 was already an eventful month, then two days after the passing of Bob Marley, Pope John Paul II was shot four times by Mehmet Ali Ağca in Vatican City. Luckily, the Pope survived and even forgave Ağca, a gesture that surprised many. They would eventually develop a friendship after Ağca was released from prison (with help from the Pope.)
1981: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer are married.
Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer on July 29 in a ceremony considered by many to be the "wedding of the century." As per norm, this British wedding followed long-held traditions and was televised in it's entirety.
1981: Sandra Day O'Connor gets appointed.
On September 21, 1981 Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed by the U.S. Senate as the first female supreme court justice. This event was memorable on many levels, considering it had never happened before and laid the groundwork for future justices, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor.
1982: The CDC recognizes the AIDS virus.
To many, this moment should have come much earlier, but in September 1982 the CDC finally recognized the AIDS virus and made reports confirming cases. This was monumental since many people doubted the existence of the virus or simply labeling it as a "gay sickness."
1983: Ronald Reagan announces the 'Star Wars' Defense Plan.
In March of 1983, President Ronald Reagan announced his missile defense system, nicknamed "Star Wars" by Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. Many critics expressed concern over the program's potential to reignite a dangerous arms race.
1983: Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space.
In June of 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as part of the Space Shuttle Challenger crew. She inspired numerous fans and laid the groundwork for many other women in the industry.
1983: Michael Jackson releases the Thriller music video.
Michael Jackson released his spooky 'Thriller' music video and created a monster. Directed by John Landis and released on MTV, the song and zombie dance sequence became a world-wide sensation. It won the 1984 Grammy award for Best Video Album, as well as the 1985 Grammy for Best Video, Long Form.
1985: Steve Jobs gets fired from Apple Computers.
In a highly controversial move, Steve Jobs was forced to resign from the company he helped create. Tensions between John Scully and Jobs over the sales failure of their 1984 Macintosh Computer resulted in Jobs leaving. He eventually returned in 1996 and helped revitalize Apple, turning it into the tech superpower it is today.
1985: The first ozone layer hole was discovered above the Antarctic.
In May of 1985, scientists discovered the first hole in the ozone layer, located directly above the Antarctic. The hole was caused by pollution and once discovered a plan was enacted to fix it. The Montreal Protocol of 1987 was the first plan approved by every country in the United Nations and focused on the restriction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs that emitted ozone destroying chlorines).
1987: Prozac goes on sale and becomes the most prescribed antidepressant.
Within two years of being available to U.S. markets, the antidepressant drug, Prozac, became one of the most prescribed medications of the late 1980s.
1988: CDs take over the music world...very briefly.
By 1988, CD sales surpassed cassette and vinyls enough to push both into antiquity. Ironically, CD sales plummeted with the introduction of digital music by the late 90s.
1989: The first web page was created.
In late 1989, Tim Berners-Lee created the first web browser. This would lay the groundwork for basically every web site we use today, and change how we communicate, make purchases and more.
Emy is a journalist and Florida native covering everything from lifestyle, travel, fashion, beauty and more.
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