What Happened in 1986

Major Events

  • Jan 28 Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all 7 crew members, including Christa McAuliffe who was to be the first teacher in space
  • Apr 26 World's worst nuclear disaster: 4th reactor at Chernobyl nuclear power station in USSR explodes, 31 die, radioactive contamination reaches much of Western Europe
  • Sep 19 US Federal health officials announce AZT will be available to AIDS patients

1986 in Film & TV

1986 in Music

1986 in Sport

Did You Know?

Hands Across America - 6.5 million people hold hands from California to NY

May 25, 1986


More People Born in 1986

Fun Fact About 1986

Beatle records officially go on sale in Russia

March 29, 1986


More 1986 Deaths

Famous Weddings in 1986

  • Jan 3 British golfer Nick Faldo (28) weds manager's secretary Gill Bennett; divorce in 1995
  • Feb 1 American pop snger Diana Ross weds Norwegian businessman Arne Naess in Switzerland
  • Mar 1 American entertainer and restaurateur Sonny Bono (46) weds (his fourth and final time) American businesswoman Mary Whitaker (24), until his death in 1998

Famous Divorces in 1986

  • Mar 7 Actor Johhny Depp and Lori Depp divorce after 2 years of marriage

More 1986 Weddings