Arts and literature:Stephen King’sIt, Tom Clancy’s
Red Storm Rising, and James Clavell’sWhirlwindare
the year’s three top-selling fiction books. (Oct.)
Wole Soyinka of Nigeria is awarded the Nobel
Prize in Literature. (Oct.)World’s Fair, a novel
by E. L. Doctorow, andArctic Dreams, a nonfic-
tion book by Barry Lopez, receive National Book
Awards.
Popular culture:Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, is the
top- grossing film of the year. (Apr. 21) During
a highly publicized television show, journalist
Geraldo Rivera opens gangster Al Capone’s se-
cret vault but finds only a bottle of moonshine.
(Sept. 19) The filmBlue Velvetis released, estab-
lishing David Lynch as a major American direc-
tor. (Sept. 27) A tour bus carrying heavy metal
band Metallica crashes in Sweden, killing their
bassist, Cliff Burton.
Sports:(Apr. 29) Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger
Clemens becomes the first pitcher in history to
strike out twenty batters during a nine-inning
game, defeating the Seattle Mariners. (May 24)
The Montreal Canadiens defeat the Calgary
Flames in five games to win the Stanley Cup. (Jul.
27) American cyclist Greg LeMond wins the Tour
de France. (Nov. 22) Mike Tyson earns his first
world boxing title by defeating Trevor Berbick in
Las Vegas.
Crime:(Aug. 20) Patrick Sherrill, an employee of
the U.S. Postal Service in Edmond, Oklahoma,
kills fourteen of his coworkers before committing
suicide. (Dec. 20) Three African Americans are
assaulted by a group of white teenagers in the
Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New
York; one of the victims, Michael Griffith, is run
over and killed by a motorist as he tries to flee the
attackers.
1987
International events:(Apr. 27) The U.S. Depart-
ment of Justice declares Austrian president Kurt
Waldheim to be an “undesirable alien.” (Jun. 10)
During a visit to Berlin, President Reagan chal-
lenges Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev to tear
down the Berlin Wall. (Dec. 8) The first Intifada,
a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule, begins in
the Gaza Strip and West Bank. (Dec. 8) President
Reagan and Soviet premier Gorbachev sign the
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
Government and politics:(Feb. 26) The Tower Com-
mission, which has been investigating the Iran-
Contra affair, criticizes President Reagan for fail-
ing to control his national security staff. (Mar. 4)
In an address to the nation on the Iran-Contra af-
fair, President Reagan acknowledges that his deal-
ings with Iran “deteriorated” into an arms-for-
hostages deal. (May 8) Allegations that Senator
Gary Hart had an extramarital affair with Donna
Rice force Hart to drop out of the race for the
Democratic presidential nomination. (Sept. 17)
Televangelist Pat Robertson announces his can-
didacy for the 1988 Republican presidential
nomination. (Oct. 23) By a vote of 58-42, the U.S.
Senate rejects President Reagan’s nomination of
former Solicitor General Robert Bork to the Su-
preme Court. (Nov. 18) U.S. Senate and House
committees release reports charging President
Reagan with “ultimate responsibility” for the Iran-
Contra affair.
Military and war:(May 17) While patrolling the Per-
sian Gulf, the USSStarkis struck by two missiles
from an Iraqi Mirage fighter; thirty-seven sailors
are killed and twenty-one others are injured in
the explosion. (Oct. 19) U.S. warships destroy two
Iranian oil platforms in the Persian Gulf.
Society:(Mar.) ACT UP, an activist organization de-
manding increased resources to fight AIDS, is
founded in New York City. (Mar. 19) Televangelist
Jim Bakker, head of PTL Ministries, resigns after
admitting that he had an affair with church secre-
tary Jessica Hahn. (May 5) The Assemblies of God
defrocks Bakker. (Jun. 19) InEdwards v. Aguillard,
the Supreme Court declares unconstitutional a
Louisiana law requiring that Creation science be
taught in all public schools that teach evolution.
(Oct. 14-16) Jessica McClure, an eighteen-month-
old child, falls down a well in Midland, Texas,
and is rescued fifty-eight hours later, a real-life
drama watched by millions of American televi-
sion viewers.
Business and economics:(Jan. 31) The last Ohr-
bach’s department store closes in New York City
after sixty-four years in business. (Mar. 2) Chrys-
ler Corporation acquires American Motors Cor-
poration. (Jul. 17) The Dow Jones Industrial Av-
erage closes above the 2,500 mark for the first
time, at 2,510.04. (Oct. 19) On Black Monday, the
Dow Jones Industrial average falls 508 points, or
almost 23 percent, while stock markets in other
countries experience similar declines.1152 Time Line The Eighties in America