What happened in September 1986?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1986, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Sep 1✈️ Aeromexico Crash – An Aeromexico jetliner collided with a small plane near Los Angeles, resulting in at least 69 fatalities and widespread destruction.
- Sep 2🌌 China Plans Manned Flight – China has begun selecting astronauts for upcoming manned space flights, as reported by The People's Daily.
- Sep 3🚢 398 Feared Dead – A Soviet passenger ship sank in the Black Sea after colliding with a freighter, leading to fears that 398 people drowned.
- Sep 4🏛️ Willard Hotel Restored – The historic Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., has been restored to its former glory after nearly two decades of neglect.
- Sep 5🏛️ Holocaust Memorial Dedicated – Survivors and officials dedicated a site for a new Holocaust memorial museum in Battery Park City, emphasizing remembrance.
- Sep 6🔥 Hotel Fire Tragedy – A fire in a southern Norwegian hotel resulted in 14 deaths and over 50 injuries, according to police reports.
- Sep 7🌍 Archbishop Tutu Installed – Desmond M. Tutu was installed as the first black Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, marking a significant moment in South African history.
- Sep 8🔬 Tutu Installed Archbishop – Desmond Tutu was installed as the first black Archbishop of the Anglican Church in southern Africa, marking a significant moment in history.
- Sep 9🔬 Food Surplus Era – Scientific advances in agriculture lead to unprecedented food abundance, outpacing global population growth.
- Sep 10📉 Polish Debt Pact – Polish authorities and Western bankers signed an agreement to reschedule over $2 billion in debts due this year and next.
- Sep 11🏛️ Queen to Visit China – Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip will visit China from Oct. 12 to 18, marking the first visit by a British sovereign.
- Sep 12🌧️ Dam Breaks in Michigan – An earthen hydroelectric dam burst, forcing 300 people to evacuate two towns after heavy rain weakened its structure.
- Sep 13🌊 Typhoon Devastates Vietnam – A typhoon killed nearly 400 people and injured over 2,500 in Vietnam's northern coastal provinces, causing widespread destruction.
- Sep 14🌍 Poland Grants Amnesty – Poland released more political prisoners under a general amnesty, signaling a shift in government policy towards dissent.
- Sep 15🌍 Earthquake in Greece – An earthquake in southern Greece has resulted in at least 17 deaths and left 8 to 12 people missing, causing thousands to become homeless.
- Sep 16🌍 Aftershocks Shake Greece – Strong aftershocks rattled southern Greece, uncovering two more bodies from the recent earthquake, raising the death toll to 19.
- Sep 17🕊️ Torch of Peace Journey – A 'torch of peace' was launched in a ceremony at the United Nations, marking an 86-day global journey for peace.
- Sep 18🚀 Weather Satellite Launched – A $37.3 million weather satellite successfully launched into orbit atop a rebuilt 25-year-old rocket, marking a significant achievement for the American space program.
- Sep 19🎨 Rietveld Furniture Auction – Sotheby's will auction 26 designs by Dutch architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in Amsterdam on Sept. 29-30, following record sales in May.
- Sep 20🌍 Chernobyl Health Concerns – A U.S. health expert warned that residents near Chernobyl could face significantly increased thyroid cancer risks due to radiation exposure.
- Sep 21🎨 Aquino Receives Degree – President Corazon C. Aquino returned to Boston, receiving an honorary degree from Boston University and speaking at Harvard University.
- Sep 22🤝 Summit Path Clearer – The U.S. and Soviet Union appear to be on the road to a summit meeting and a major arms control agreement after months of disputes.
- Sep 23🔭 New Telescope Unveiled – A revolutionary telescope design featuring two giant mirrors aims to enhance the sharpness of astronomical images significantly.
- Sep 24🌹 Rose Becomes National Flower – The House of Representatives voted to designate the rose as America's national flower, celebrating its cultural significance.
- Sep 25🔬 AIDS Vaccine Breakthrough – An experimental vaccine against the AIDS virus shows promising immune reactions in animals, according to new research.
- Sep 26📊 Tax Bill Approved – The House of Representatives approved a sweeping tax bill creating a new Federal income tax system with bipartisan support.
- Sep 27🌍 Atomic Safety Steps – Member nations of the International Atomic Energy Agency approved conventions for immediate nuclear accident reporting and assistance.
- Sep 28🌍 Global Nuclear Ban Debate – Delegates from 55 nations agree to strengthen a treaty banning biological weapons after a three-week conference in Geneva.
- Sep 29🌊 Ice Dam Threatens Wildlife – Hubbard Glacier ice dam is close to breaking, potentially freeing trapped porpoises into fresh water.
- Sep 30♟️ Chess Title Match Draw – Kasparov and Karpov agreed to a draw after 21 moves in the 20th game of their world chess championship match.
Happy Birthday! 1986 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1986 in real headlines. See the 1986 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: