Discover all the highs and lows of the beginning of this dynamic year through our database of authentic 1980 newspapers. Blockbuster films, MTV, and an abundance of neon clothing are all characteristics of the ‘80s. Whether you’re a fan of it or not, the ‘80s are one of the 20th centuries most memorable decades. Discover the key events that marked the ‘80s, and in turn shaped the modern society that we live in today.
There are plenty of memorable headlines from 1980. Some particularly remarkable 1980 headlines include the creation of CNN, the world’s first 24 hour cable TV network, the eruption of Mt St Helens in Washington state, and the premiere of “The Empire Strikes Back” in movie theatres.
One of the most talked about events of 1980 was John Lennon’s assassination. The whole world stood still in shock when the former Beatles frontman was shot in cold blood by a deranged fan outside his hotel in New York City. It was also the year that arcade game Pac-Man was released; it would become the best selling game in history. An authentic 1980 newspaper is a wonderful gift idea for a loved one who grew up in this time, or has a particular interest in one of the events that occurred during it. Understand 1980 through the eyes of those who lived at the time, and gain a different perspective on this year in history.
February 13, 1980
The Winter Olympics open in Lake Placid, New York.
March 21, 1980
U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
March 31, 1980
Jesse Owens, African-American athlete (b. 1913) dies.
April 10, 1980
Spain and the United Kingdom agree to reopen the border between Gibraltar and Spain, previously closed since 1969.
April 1,8 1980
Zimbabwe gains independence from the United Kingdom; the soon-to-be dictator Robert Mugabe becomes Prime Minister.
April 25, 1980
A Dan-Air Boeing 727 crashes in Tenerife, killing all 146 occupants and marking the worst air disaster involving a British-registered aircraft in terms of fatalities.
April 30, 1980
Six Iranian-born terrorists take over the Iranian embassy in London. The SAS retakes the Embassy on 5th May; 1 terrorist survives.
May 21, 1980
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released.
May 22, 1980
Pac-Man is released and has since become the best-selling arcade game of all time.
May 28, 1980
Nottingham Forest wins the European Cup, beating Hamburg 1-0 in Madrid
July 19, 1980
The 1980 Summer Olympics begin in Moscow, Soviet Union. The United States heads a boycott of the event by61 countries in protest to the 1979 Soviet War in Afghanistan.
October 1, 1980
Associated Newspapers announces that The Evening News will close and merge with the Evening Standard.
October 10, 1980
Margaret Thatcher tells the Conservative Party conference “U-turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.”
November 7, 1980
Steve McQueen, American actor (b. 1930) dies.
November 21, 1980
Millions of viewers tune into the U.S. television soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J.R. Ewing. The “Who shot J.R.?” event had been a national obsession.
December 8, 1980
Former Beatle John Lennon dies in a hospital after being shot outside his New York City apartment by Mark David Chapman, a deranged fan who had received his signature earlier in the day.