By Jose and Andrew

1980   1981   1982   1983   1984   1985   1986   1987   1988   1989

Welcome to the wonderful year of 1987. From the stock market crashing to Bill Gates becoming the first billionaire of the micro computer industry, 1987 is a truly eventful year. Microwave ovens are becoming very popular with consumers. Wall Street is hit hard with charges of insider trading. The U.S. trade deficit hits a record $16.5 billion in July. In October an earthquake shakes Los Angeles and the nation watches as Baby Jessica McClure is pulled from a well where she has been stranded for two days. Taking down the Sicilian Mafia and Mike Tyson becoming the heavyweight boxing champ made this year very intriguing.

• The New York Giants beat the Denver Broncos 39 to 20 at the Super Bowl XXI on January 25 in Pasadena, California.
• Famed artist Andy Warhol dies after gall-bladder surgery at New York Hospital on February 23.
• Mike Tyson wins the World Boxing Association heavyweight title beating James Smith on March 7 in a 12 round decision at Las Vegas.
• On March 19 PLT minister Jim Baker resigns his ministry after it is discovered he used church money to pay a church secretary to keep quiet about an affair he was having with her.
• On March 20 the Food & Drug Administration approves AZT for the treatment of the AIDS virus. 
• Gary Hart withdraws as a candidate for President when news of his affair with Donna Rice becomes public.
• On June 12 Reagan gives a speech at the Brandenburg Gates in West Berlin, Germany asking Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."
• On July 4 a French court finds former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie guilty of war crimes and sentences him to life in prison.  
• Stock market crashes on October 19 or Black Monday; while the Dow Jones Industrial Index drops 508 points.
• On October 25 the Minnesota Twins win the 1987 World Series, taking the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3.
• On November 5 Into the Woods opens on Broadway.
• Wappingers Falls, N.Y. teen, Tawana Brawley, is found November 28 half-naked with the words 'KKK' and 'n****r' smeared with dog feces on her body. She claims six white men, one of them wearing a police badge, kidnapped her raped her. An investigation will show that she staged her condition to avoid being punished by her stepfather.
• Gorbachev and Reagan meet to sign arms agreement. Gorbachev leads USSR into glasnost and perestroika (openness and reconstruction.)
• US Congress accuses government of giving $40 million to Nicaraguan Contra rebels, Congressional hearing are televised.
• Bill Gates becomes the first billionaire of the computer industry.
• Mikhail Gorbachev travels to Washington for a three day summit conference on the reduction of arms. He spoke to the delegates at the United Nations.
• The Sicilian Mafia trial, or the "Pizza Connection" as it is called by the press, comes to an end on December 16 with 21 defendants found guilty of drug trafficking and conspiracy. Heroin trafficking in the United States is their primary source of wealth.
• On December 18 Ivan F. Boesky is fined $100 million and sentenced to 3 years in prison for insider trading.

60th Annual Academy Award
Best Actor: Michael Douglas in Wall Street
Best Actress: Cher in Moonstruck
Best Picture: The Last Emperor  

Emmy Awards
Outstanding Comedy: The Wonder Years (ABC)
Outstanding Drama: Thirtysomething (ABC)

30th Annual Grammy Awards
Record of the Year: Graceland by Paul Simon
Album of the Year: The Joshua Tree by U2
Song of the Year: Somewhere Out There by James Horner, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
Best New Artist: Jody Watley

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last updated 03/14/06