What happened in April 1984?
The top front-page story of each day in April 1984, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Apr 1🌍 Tornado Relief Efforts – Americans and the government join forces to assist North and South Carolinians recovering from deadly tornadoes that claimed over 60 lives.
- Apr 2🏁 Waltrip Triumphs – Darrell Waltrip won his seventh consecutive race at Bristol International Raceway, capitalizing on a broken axle in Bobby Allison's car.
- Apr 3🔬 Scientists Unveil Orbiter – Lockheed and NASA revealed a prototype satellite designed to enhance global communication through handheld devices.
- Apr 4🚀 Indian in Space – The Soviet Union launched an Indian astronaut into space for the first time, alongside two Soviet astronauts.
- Apr 5🧪 AIDS Research Breakthrough – Researchers discovered a potentially treatable defect in AIDS victims' immune systems, raising hopes for effective interferon treatments.
- Apr 6🚀 Space Shuttle Mission – The space shuttle Challenger is set for its first service call on a satellite in orbit, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- Apr 7🚀 Space Shuttle Mission – The space shuttle Challenger launched today, aiming to repair a disabled scientific satellite in orbit.
- Apr 8🚀 Historic Space Mission – The space shuttle Challenger successfully deployed the largest satellite ever, preparing for a historic repair mission in orbit.
- Apr 9🎭 Kabuki at Japan House – Bando Tamasaburo V, celebrated Kabuki actor, will perform solo dances from May 4 to May 11 at Japan House in New York.
- Apr 10🔬 Tiny Parasite Discovered – A tiny parasite, cryptosporidium, linked to human disease, raises concerns as it gains recognition in medical research.
- Apr 11🚀 Shuttle Catches Satellite – Challenger astronauts successfully captured the failing Solar Max satellite using a robotic arm for the first major repair job in orbit.
- Apr 12🚀 Challenger Repairs Satellite – Astronauts successfully replaced electronics on the Solar Max satellite, marking the first extensive repair job in orbit.
- Apr 13🚀 Shuttle Ready to Land – The Challenger astronauts successfully placed a once-crippled satellite back in orbit, demonstrating significant repairs can be made in space.
- Apr 14🚀 Shuttle Lands Safely – The Challenger astronauts landed safely in California after being diverted from Cape Canaveral due to bad weather.
- Apr 15🚀 Space Shuttle Remarkable – The Space Shuttle, after a historic seven-day mission, was declared in 'remarkable' condition upon its return.
- Apr 16🌌 Comet Mission Targeted – Astronomers have located the faint comet Giacobini-Zinner, the target for the world's first space mission to a comet.
- Apr 17🌋 Mauna Loa Eruption Ends – Scientists declared the end of the 22-day eruption of Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, which had threatened nearby Hilo.
- Apr 18🏛️ Pritzker Prize Awarded – Richard Meier, architect of the High Museum of Art, wins the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, becoming its youngest recipient.
- Apr 19🏛️ Cranbrook Studio Restored – Saarinen's Cranbrook Studio was restored after discovering a lost credenza in the basement, enhancing the academy's historical collection.
- Apr 20🌍 U.N. Peacekeeping Extended – The U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed to extend the peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon for six more months.
- Apr 21🏅 Turkish-American Day – Turkish-Americans celebrate their first Turkish-American Day with a parade down Fifth Avenue, showcasing newfound pride in their heritage.
- Apr 22✝️ Pope Praises Solidarity – Pope John Paul II praised the efforts of the banned Solidarity labor union in Poland, stating their contributions 'cannot be erased.'
- Apr 23🎶 Haydn Concert Performance – Franz Joseph Haydn's ''Seven Last Words of the Saviour on the Cross'' performed, reflecting on the Crucifixion with seven meditative pieces.
- Apr 24🔬 Virus Linked to AIDS – Federal researchers announced they found a virus believed to cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS.
- Apr 25🌍 Strong Earthquake Shakes – A strong earthquake, measured at 6.0 on the Richter scale, shook the San Francisco Bay area, causing significant damage near San Jose.
- Apr 26🦅 Bald Eagle Hatched – A bald eaglet, the second ever hatched from an artificially inseminated egg, was born at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
- Apr 27🌨️ Spring Blizzard Hits Rockies – A spring blizzard buried parts of the Rockies under four feet of snow, causing severe disruptions and tornadoes in the Plains.
- Apr 28🏛️ Libyan Embassy Siege Ends – The 11-day siege of the Libyan Embassy in London concluded peacefully as diplomats exited the building under police escort.
- Apr 29🎭 Theater Play Flourishes – The play 'Terra Nova' premiered in a New Haven basement, gaining acclaim and longevity beyond its initial run.
- Apr 30🏯 Reagan Visits Tomb – President Reagan paid homage to Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, during his visit to the tomb in Peking.
Happy Birthday! 1984 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1984 in real headlines. See the 1984 book →