1980s

The Central Park Five

When Trisha Meili’s body was discovered in New York City’s Central Park early in the morning on April 20, 1989, she had been so badly beaten and repeatedly raped that she remained in a coma for nearly two weeks and retained no memory of the attack. The brutal assault of the 28‑year‑old white investment banker, […]

The 1980s

The New Right The populist conservative movement known as the New Right enjoyed unprecedented growth in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It appealed to a diverse assortment of Americans including evangelical Christians, anti‑tax crusaders, advocates of deregulation and smaller markets, advocates of a more powerful American presence abroad, disaffected white liberals and defenders of […]

Chernobyl

Where Is Chernobyl? Chernobyl is located in northern Ukraine, about 80 miles north of Kiev. A small town, Pripyat, was constructed a few miles from the site of the nuclear plant to accommodate workers and their families. Construction of the Chernobyl power plant began in 1977, when the country was still part of the Soviet […]

Challenger Explosion

On January 28, 1986, the tenth mission of the space shuttle Challenger ended in tragic disaster. We remember the seven astronauts who lost their lives that day, including Christa McAuliffe, who was chosen by NASA to pioneer its Teacher in Space program.

This Day In History: 01/02/1980 – US‑Russia Detente Ends

This Day in History: 10/02/1985 – Rock Hudson Dies of AIDS

5 of the Most Influential Early Video Games

‘Pong,’ ‘Space Invaders’ and ‘Pac‑Man’ helped spawn a juggernaut industry.

How the 1982 Tylenol Poisonings Nearly Canceled Halloween

The shocking deaths of seven people in the Chicago area from tampered bottles led to a massive recall—and generated fears around candy poisonings.

Soviet Union Leaders: A Timeline

From Stalin’s reign of terror to Gorbachev and glasnost, meet the eight leaders who presided over the USSR.