January 13
January 13
Plane crashes into Potomac River
On January 13, 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 737‑222 plunges into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 78 people. The crash, caused by bad weather, took place only two…
A Year In History: 1982
This Year in History:
1982
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
February 13
February 13
Serial killer strikes in Colorado
A 21‑year‑old woman named Mary accepts a ride from a man in the ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado, and is raped and severely beaten with a claw hammer. The attacker,…
February 28
February 28
Getty Museum endowed
On February 28, 1982, the J. Paul Getty Museum becomes the most richly endowed museum on earth when it receives a $1.2 billion bequest left to it by the late…
March 29
March 29
Freshman Michael Jordan hits winning shot to give North Carolina NCAA title
On March 29, 1982, 19‑year‑old North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan makes a 16‑foot jump shot with 15 seconds left to give the Tar Heels a 63‑62 win over Georgetown for…
April 2
April 2
Argentina invades Falklands
On April 2, 1982, Argentina invades the Falklands Islands, a British colony since 1892 and British possession since 1833. Argentine amphibious forces rapidly overcame the small garrison of British marines…
April 24
April 24
Jane Fonda’s first workout video released
Hollywood royalty, Oscar‑winning actress, anti‑war activist. Jane Fonda fit all of these descriptions by the late 1970s and 1980s, when she emerged in her latest incarnation: exercise guru. On April…
May 15
May 15
“Ebony And Ivory” begins a seven‑week run at #1 on the pop charts
Without the black keys, the white keys on a piano would pretty much be stuck playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Do Re Mi.” If you want anything more interesting…
June 11
June 11
“E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial” released
Then 34‑year‑old director Steven Spielberg reportedly drew on his own experiences as an unusually imaginative, often‑lonely child of divorce for his science‑fiction classic E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial, which is released on…
June 12
June 12
One million people demonstrate in New York City against nuclear weapons
A stunningly large and diverse crowd descends upon New York City’s Central Park on June 12, 1982, demanding nuclear disarmament and an end to the Cold War arms race. By…
June 14
June 14
Falklands War ends
After suffering through six weeks of military defeats against Britain’s armed forces, Argentina surrenders to Great Britain, ending the Falklands War. The Falkland Islands, located about 300 miles off the…
June 19
June 19
Vincent Chin is murdered
Chinese American Vincent Chin, 27, is beaten in the head with a baseball bat by two white autoworkers in Detroit on June 19, 1982. Chin died in a hospital four days later,…
June 21
June 21
John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, found not guilty
John W. Hinckley, Jr., who on March 30, 1981, shot President Ronald Reagan and three others outside a Washington, D.C., hotel, was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason…
June 24
June 24
1982 garment workers’ strike begins in New York City’s Chinatown
Over 20,000 garment workers, almost all of them Asian American women, pack into Columbus Park in New York City’s Chinatown on June 24, 1982. The rally and subsequent march demonstrate…
July 23
July 23
Actor and two children killed on “Twilight Zone” set
On July 23, 1982, Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Shinn Chen and Myca Dinh Le, are killed in an accident involving a helicopter during filming on the California…
July 24
July 24
“Eye Of The Tiger” from “Rocky III” tops the U.S. pop charts
Whether it’s Oliver Stone setting a scene from Platoon to Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber,or Quentin Tarantino setting a scene from Reservoir Dogs to “Stuck In The Middle” by…
August 3
August 3
Sodomy arrest sparks controversy
Michael Hardwick is arrested for “sodomy” after a police officer observes him having sex with another man in his own bedroom in Georgia. Although the district attorney eventually dropped the…
August 13
August 13
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” debuts
On August 13, 1982, the teenage coming‑of‑age comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High opens in theaters around the United States. Written by Cameron Crowe and directed by Amy Heckerling, the…
August 20
August 20
U.S. Marines deployed to Lebanon
During the Lebanese Civil War, a multinational force including 800 U.S. Marines lands in Beirut to oversee the Palestinian withdrawal from Lebanon. It was the beginning of a problem‑plagued mission…
August 24
August 24
Wall Street informer, Martin Siegel, hatches insider trading scheme
On August 24, 1982, Martin Siegel meets high‑powered stock broker Ivan Boesky at the Harvard Club in New York City to discuss his mounting financial pressures. Boesky offered Siegel, a mergers‑and‑acquisitions…
August 29
August 29
Actress Ingrid Bergman dies on her birthday
On August 29, 1982, the Swedish‑born actress and three‑time Academy Award winner Ingrid Bergman dies of cancer on her 67th birthday. Bergman, who was best known for her role as…
