What happened in April 1987?
The top front-page story of each day in April 1987, 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🖼️ Van Gogh Auction Shocks – A van Gogh painting sold for $39.9 million at Christie's, setting a new record and surprising art professionals worldwide.
- Apr 2🌍 Gene-Altered Microbe Test – UC Berkeley will begin testing a gene-altered microbe in California to prevent frost damage on crops, a significant agricultural development.
- Apr 3📈 China Opens Fifth Market – China opened its fifth securities market, though expansion is now a low priority due to ideological concerns.
- Apr 4🌪️ California Tornado Damage – A tornado ripped roofs off 16 greenhouses in California, injuring one employee at a large nursery during the storm.
- Apr 5🏌️ Golfing Machine – Prominent golfers gathered at Torrey Pines golf course, showcasing their skills and camaraderie during a notable tournament.
- Apr 6🚀 Joint Space Missions – NASA and the European Space Agency plan joint missions to the Sun and Jupiter, launching from the space shuttle in 1989 and 1990.
- Apr 7🥇 Leonard Beats Hagler – Sugar Ray Leonard scored a split decision victory over Marvin Hagler to win the World Boxing Council middleweight championship at Caesars Palace.
- Apr 8🔬 Japan Policy Shift – Japan's ruling party unveiled a $34 billion plan to stimulate the economy, signaling a potential shift from tight-spending policies.
- Apr 9🔬 New Superconductors Breakthrough – American industry competes to develop new superconductors for efficient electric transmission and advanced technologies.
- Apr 10🧬 Transplant First in Nation – Doctors performed the first adrenal gland cell transplant in the U.S. to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms in a 42-year-old woman.
- Apr 11🌍 Earthquake Shakes Tokyo – An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale shook the Tokyo area, rattling buildings and disrupting train lines, but no injuries were reported.
- Apr 12🚀 Soviet Astronauts Walk – Two Soviet astronauts walked in space to investigate docking failure of the Kvant module with the Mir space station.
- Apr 13⛪ Pope Ends Visit – Pope John Paul II concluded his Argentine visit with a grand outdoor mass, marking the start of Holy Week for Catholics.
- Apr 14🎼 Mozart Scores Auction – Nine original symphony scores by Mozart will be auctioned at Sotheby's, expected to fetch $1.5 million.
- Apr 15🏛️ Wallenberg Statue Unveiled – Budapest honors Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during WWII, with a statue commemorating his legacy.
- Apr 16🔬 Atom Smasher Unveiled – Stanford University unveiled a $115 million atom smasher aimed at advancing research on the fundamental makeup of matter.
- Apr 17🧠 First U.S. Brain Graft – The first brain graft surgery in the U.S. offers hope for Parkinson's disease patients, marking a significant medical breakthrough.
- Apr 18🔬 AIDS Research Breakthrough – Scientists developed a method to make bacteria produce a key protein from the AIDS virus, potentially speeding drug research.
- Apr 19🏛️ Architect Honored – James Stirling, acclaimed architect and Pritzker Prize winner, receives recognition in England after years of international success.
- Apr 20🔬 California Condor Captured – The last wild California condor was captured for a breeding program aimed at saving the species from extinction.
- Apr 21🔬 Plankton's Climate Role – Scientists reveal plankton emit a gas that cools Earth's atmosphere, playing a crucial role in climate regulation.
- Apr 22🌍 Soweto Police Attack – A black police trainee was killed and 64 others wounded by a grenade during a police parade in Soweto, highlighting ongoing tensions in South Africa.
- Apr 23🔬 Herpes Vaccine Testing – Researchers announced promising results for an experimental herpes vaccine in guinea pigs, with human trials expected in two years.
- Apr 24🏗️ Building Collapse Tragedy – A high-rise apartment building under construction in Bridgeport, Conn., collapsed, trapping dozens of workers and leaving 28 feared dead.
- Apr 25🔬 Historic Bacteria Release – Genetically altered bacteria were released outdoors for the first time in a historic experiment aimed at agricultural advancements.
- Apr 26🌍 Chernobyl Disaster Anniversary – The first anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident is marked, reflecting on its global impact and lessons learned.
- Apr 27🏗️ Bridge Collapse Investigation – Federal investigators sift through debris from a collapsed apartment building in Bridgeport, Conn., searching for answers.
- Apr 28🏅 Kirszenstein's Legacy – Irena Kirszenstein Szewinska, a Polish athlete, won seven Olympic golds and set numerous records in track and field.
- Apr 29🔬 Supercomputer Installed – A new generation of supercomputer, requiring liquid nitrogen to operate, was installed at Florida State University this week.
- Apr 30✈️ Air Traffic Curbs Urged – The National Transportation Safety Board is working on recommendations to ease air traffic congestion and reduce collision risks this summer.
Happy Birthday! 1987 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1987 in real headlines. See the 1987 book →