1981 Calendar
What Happened In Year 1981?
- January 28, 1981 – Ronald Reagan lifts remaining domestic petroleum price and allocation controls in the United States helping to end the 1979 energy crisis and begin the 1980s oil glut.
- February 5, 1981 – New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Metal Rooster in Chinese astrology.
- February 10, 1981 – A fire at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino kills eight and injures 198.
- February 13, 1981 – A series of sewer explosions destroys more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky.
- February 23, 1981 – In Spain, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
- March 30, 1981 – President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.
- May 5, 1981 – Bobby Sands dies in the Long Kesh prison hospital after 66 days of hunger-striking, aged 27.
- June 13, 1981 – At the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London, a teenager, Marcus Sarjeant, fires six blank shots at Queen Elizabeth II.
- July 16, 1981 – Mahathir bin Mohamad becomes Malaysia’s 4th Prime Minister; his 22 years in office, ending with retirement on 31 October 2003, made him Asia’s longest-serving political leader.
- July 17, 1981 – The opening of the Humber Bridge by HM The Queen in England.
- July 19, 1981 – In a private meeting with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, French Prime Minister François Mitterrand reveals the existence of the Farewell Dossier, a collection of documents showing that the Soviets had been stealing American technological research and development.
- July 29, 1981 – A worldwide television audience of over 700 million people watch the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
- August 10, 1981 – Murder of Adam Walsh: the head of John Walsh’s son is found. This inspires the creation of the television series America’s Most Wanted.
- September 18, 1981 – Assemblée Nationale votes to abolish capital punishment in France.
- November 23, 1981 – Iran-Contra Affair: Ronald Reagan signs the top secret National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), giving the Central Intelligence Agency the authority to recruit and support Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
- November 30, 1981 – Cold War: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin to negotiate intermediate-range nuclear weapon reductions in Europe (the meetings ended inconclusively on December 17).
- December 4, 1981 – South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei “homeland” (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).
- December 17, 1981 – Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigade in Verona, Italy.
- December 19, 1981 – Sixteen lives are lost when the Penlee lifeboat goes to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star in heavy seas.
What no one tells you about your first name’s personality. Are there magical powers in your given name? Check out Jackson’s personality today! (Sponsored links)
Share or Link to This Page: