January 3
January 3
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts first woman
On January 3, 1987, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame admits its first woman: Aretha Franklin. Fewer than 100 female performers—less than 10 percent—have been added since the Hall began…
A Year In History: 1987
This Year in History:
1987
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 4
January 4
Segovia begins final U.S. tour
Spanish guitar great Andres Segovia arrives in the United States for his final American tour. He died four months later in Madrid at the age of 94. Segovia was hailed…
January 13
January 13
Connecticut man arrested for wood‑chipper murder
Richard Crafts, a Connecticut man accused and later found guilty of murdering his wife and disposing of her body in a wood‑chipper, is arrested on January 13, 1987. Helle Crafts, a…
January 20
January 20
Terry Waite disappears
On this day, British negotiator Terry Waite disappears while attempting to win freedom for Western hostages held in Lebanon. Waite, special envoy of the archbishop of Canterbury, secured the release…
February 13
February 13
Wall Street informer, Martin Siegel pleads guilty to insider trading scheme
On February 13, 1987, Wall Street professional Martin Siegel pleads guilty to tax and securities law violations related to a lucrative insider trading scheme. He had netted $700,000 over four years for…
February 25
February 25
NCAA suspends SMU football program for 1987 season
On February 25, 1987, the NCAA suspends the Southern Methodist University football program for 1987 season for repeated rules violations but stops short of imposing the so‑called “death penalty.” Still,…
February 28
February 28
Gorbachev calls for nuclear weapons treaty
In a surprising announcement, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev indicates that his nation is ready to sign “without delay” a treaty designed to eliminate U.S. and Soviet medium‑range nuclear missiles from…
March 6
March 6
Ferry sinks in Belgium, 188 people drown
A British ferry leaving Zeebrugge, Belgium, capsizes, drowning 188 people, on March 6, 1987. Shockingly poor safety procedures led directly to this deadly disaster. Lord Justice Barry Sheen, an investigator…
March 7
March 7
Mike Tyson unifies titles
On March 7, 1987, Mike Tyson defeats James “Bonecrusher” Smith to unify the WBA and WBC heavyweight titles. Already the youngest‑ever heavyweight champion after winning the title at just 19…
March 24
March 24
ACT UP holds its first action on Wall Street
On March 24, 1987, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) holds its first‑ever demonstration on Wall Street—the world’s financial center—targeting pharmaceutical companies that were profiting off the AIDS…
March 25
March 25
Torture chamber uncovered in Philadelphia
Responding to a 911 call, police raid the Philadelphia home of Gary Heidnik and find an appalling crime scene. In the basement of Heidnik’s dilapidated house is a veritable torture…
April 8
April 8
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz condemns Soviet spying
Just days before he is to travel to Moscow for talks on arms control and other issues, U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz states that he is “damned upset” about…
April 23
April 23
Chrysler buys luxury automaker Lamborghini
On this day in 1987, the Chrysler Corporation purchases Nuova Automobili F. Lamborghini, the Bologna, Italy‑based maker of high‑priced, high‑performance cars. Although the terms of the deal were not disclosed,…
May 11
May 11
“Butcher of Lyon,” former Nazi Gestapo chief, charged with war crimes
Klaus Barbie, the former Nazi Gestapo chief of German‑occupied Lyon, France, goes on trial in Lyon more than four decades after the end of World War II. He was charged…
May 12
May 12
Forest fire sweeps across China
Firefighters finally contain a giant fire sweeping eastward across China on this day in 1987, but not before 193 people are killed. The fateful fire began on May 6 in…
May 28
May 28
19‑year‑old amateur pilot Mathias Rust lands his plane in Red Square
Mathias Rust, a 19‑year‑old amateur pilot from West Germany, takes off from Helsinki, Finland, travels through more than 400 miles of Soviet airspace, and lands his small Cessna aircraft in…
June 12
June 12
President Reagan challenges Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall”
On this day in 1987, in one of his most famous Cold War speeches, President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall, a symbol…
June 12
June 12
President Reagan challenges Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall”
On June 12, 1987, in one of his most famous Cold War speeches, President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall, a symbol of…
June 23
June 23
Tiffany visits the mall on her way to stardom
Long before Hannah Montana and High School Musical, in the late 1980s, a 16‑year‑old aspiring pop star named Tiffany Darwish had a self‑titled debut album on a major record label…
July 4
July 4
Soviets rock for peace
A rock concert in Moscow, jointly organized by American promoters and the Soviet government, plays to a crowd of approximately 25,000. The venture was intended to serve as symbol of…
