What happened in July 1981?
The top front-page story of each day in July 1981, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Jul 1🌍 FitzGerald Becomes Prime Minister – Garret FitzGerald is elected as Ireland's seventh Prime Minister by the newly formed Parliament.
- Jul 2✈️ Singapore Opens Airport – Singapore today opened what is believed to be the largest airport in Asia, enhancing its status as a global travel hub.
- Jul 3🎆 Fourth of July Guide – Celebrations across the metropolitan region include fireworks, parades, and concerts, promising a festive atmosphere for families.
- Jul 4🏔️ Disabled Group Climbs Rainier – Five blind climbers and others successfully reached the summit of Mount Rainier, showcasing determination and teamwork.
- Jul 5🎾 McEnroe Wins Wimbledon – John McEnroe ended Bjorn Borg's five-year reign and 41-match winning streak with a four-set victory in the Wimbledon singles final.
- Jul 6✊ San Jose Strike – Municipal employees in San Jose initiated a strike today, advocating for equal pay for women in comparable roles.
- Jul 7🏛️ Largest Merger Announced – Du Pont agrees to acquire Conoco for $7.3 billion, marking the largest merger in corporate history.
- Jul 8✈️ Solar Plane Crosses Channel – The first solar-powered airplane successfully crossed the English Channel, marking a milestone in aviation technology.
- Jul 9🎼 Mozart Premiere – A recently discovered Mozart symphony premiered on the White House lawn, attended by President Reagan and conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
- Jul 10🎤 Springsteen's Reflective Concert – Bruce Springsteen captivated fans with energetic rock and reflective ballads at his New Jersey concert, ensuring his lyrics were heard.
- Jul 11🔥 San Francisco Fire – A major fire in San Francisco destroyed 25 buildings, described as the worst since the 1906 earthquake, causing significant damage.
- Jul 12🎤 Concert for Charity – A star-studded charity concert was held in Los Angeles, raising funds for local shelters and food banks.
- Jul 13⚓ Genoa Tanker Blast – A lightning strike caused an explosion on a Japanese oil tanker in Genoa, resulting in two deaths and four missing.
- Jul 14🌊 Floods Strike China – Torrential rains in Guangxi, southern China, caused flooding that destroyed about 1,700 homes, leading to evacuations and reported casualties.
- Jul 15🌊 Floods Hit China Area – Sichuan Province in China faces severe flooding, threatening two million people and inundating about a million acres of farmland.
- Jul 16🌍 Statoil Gas Find – Norwegian state oil company Statoil announced unexpected natural gas reserves found in the Sleipner area, enhancing future production prospects.
- Jul 17🛰️ India Launches Satellite – India successfully placed a communications satellite, named Apple, into geostationary orbit after complex maneuvers by scientists.
- Jul 18🏨 Hotel Walkways Collapse – Two sky bridges at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City collapsed, killing at least 45 and injuring about 145 people.
- Jul 19🌊 Sichuan Floods Devastate – Flooding in China's Sichuan Province reached record levels, resulting in thousands of casualties and significant destruction.
- Jul 20🏆 World Games Open – The World University Games officially opened today, uniting athletes from over 80 countries for ten days of competition.
- Jul 21🌍 Polish Party Limits Leadership – The Polish Communist Party adopted rules limiting the terms of its leaders, increasing accountability to members.
- Jul 22🌊 China Flood Toll – Floods in China's Yangtze River left 700 to 800 dead, significantly lower than earlier estimates of 4,000 casualties.
- Jul 23🏛️ Chrysler Reports Profit – Chrysler Corporation announced a $12 million profit for the second quarter of 1981, its first profit in over two years.
- Jul 24❤️ Artificial Heart Implanted – Surgeons at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital successfully implanted an artificial heart in a 36-year-old man, marking a significant medical milestone.
- Jul 25🔬 Mechanical Heart Implant – Surgeons in Houston implanted a mechanical heart in a 36-year-old man, marking the fourth such procedure in history.
- Jul 26🌊 Sichuan Flooding Casualties – Floods in Sichuan Province resulted in 753 deaths, 558 missing, and 1.5 million homeless, marking the worst flooding since 1949.
- Jul 27❤️ Surgery Saves Life – A 36-year-old man, kept alive by a plastic heart for three days, successfully received a real heart transplant from a 29-year-old donor.
- Jul 28🚀 Space Shuttle Testing Begins – Testing for the space shuttle Columbia commenced after delays due to wiring issues on its mechanical arm being resolved.
- Jul 29🔥 Forest Fires Rage – Severe forest fires in Portugal forced entire villages to evacuate as helicopters airlifted residents to safety amid the worst fires this century.
- Jul 30💡 Efficient Light Bulbs – New techniques for making integrated circuits could lead to more energy-efficient light bulbs, with broad applications beyond semiconductors.
- Jul 31📺 Video Sales Surge – Japan's production and exports of videotape recorders and color TVs hit record highs in June, according to the Electronics Industries Association.
Happy Birthday! 1981 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1981 in real headlines. See the 1981 book →
Born in July? Pick the day
Every birthday in July has its own On This Day in Headlines book: