What Happened in 1989

Important Events

  • Feb 6 Solidarity union leader Lech Wałęsa begins negotiating with Polish government
  • Apr 21 Thousands of Chinese crowd into Beijing's Tiananmen Square cheering students demanding greater political freedom
  • May 13 Approx 2,000 students begin hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, China
  • Jun 2 10,000 Chinese soldiers are blocked by 100,000 citizens in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, protecting students demonstrating for democracy
  • Jun 3 Beginning of the Tiananmen Square Massacre as Chinese troops open fire on pro-democracy supporters in Beijing
  • Jun 4 Eastern Europe's 1st partial free elections in 40 years held in Poland, Solidarity Party comes to power
  • Jun 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre: Chinese troops clear the square of student protesters, unofficial figures place death toll near 1,000
  • Nov 10 Germans begin demolishing the Berlin Wall
  • Dec 3 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George H. W. Bush, declare the Cold War over
  • Dec 22 After 23 years of dictatorial rule, Romania ousts Nicolae Ceausescu
More Historical Events

1989 in Film & TV

  • Feb 10 To gain deregulation WWF admits pro wrestling is an exhibition & not a sport, in a NJ court
  • May 19 "Do the Right Thing", directed by Spike Lee, starring Danny Aiello and Ossie Davis premieres at the Cannes Film Festival
  • Jun 23 Movie "Batman" premieres directed by Tim Burton, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson
  • Sep 16 14th Toronto International Film Festival: "Roger & Me" directed by Michael Moore wins the People's Choice Award

1989 in Music

  • Nov 12 George Forrest's musical "Grand Hotel" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 1018 performances (5 Tony wins)

1989 in Sport

  • Feb 10 To gain deregulation WWF admits pro wrestling is an exhibition & not a sport, in a NJ court
  • Jul 2 American jockey Steve Cauthen wins Irish Derby on Old Vic to become the first rider in history to sweep the world's 4 major Derbies (Kentucky, Epsom, French, Irish)
  • Oct 15 Wayne Gretzky passes Gordie Howe as NHL's all time top scorer
  • Nov 24 Sachin Tendulkar scores a Test Cricket fifty aged 16 years 214 days, a record

Did You Know?

World Wide Web (WWW) is first launched in the public domain by CERN scientist Tim Berners-Lee

On April 30, 1989

Famous People Born in 1989

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World Leaders in 1989

Famous People in 1989

Would You Believe?

Wine merchant William Sokolin breaks a bottle of 1787 Château Margaux, possibly belonging to Thomas Jefferson, worth $500,000 at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York

On April 23, 1989

Famous Weddings

Famous Divorces

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Famous Deaths

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Articles on Events in 1989