What Happened in 1989

Significant 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
  • Sep 16 14th Toronto International Film Festival: "Roger & Me" directed by Michael Moore wins the People's Choice Award
  • Dec 13 "Driving Miss Daisy" directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy is released (Best Picture 1990)
  • Dec 17 "The Simpsons" created by Matt Groening, premieres on Fox TV as a full animated series with the episode, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"

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
  • Oct 15 Wayne Gretzky passes Gordie Howes as NHL's all time top scorer
  • Nov 24 Sachin Tendulkar scores a Test Cricket fifty aged 16 years 214 days, a record
  • Dec 29 Wayne Gretzky and Martina Navratilova, named athletes of decade by AP
  • Dec 31 Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets record with 598 wins in a year

Did You Know?

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

On April 30, 1989


World Leaders in 1989

Famous People in 1989

Famous People Born in 1989

More Famous Birthdays

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

  • Jan 1 Actor Leonard Nimoy (57) weds actress Susan Bay
  • Jan 7 MLB player Greg Maddux (22) weds Kathy Ronnow
  • Jan 18 Candace Thomas marries Steve Garvey
  • Jan 21 "Falcon Crest" actor Lorenzo Lamas (31) weds actress Kathleen Kinmont (23) at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas
  • Feb 9 NBA power forward Charles Barkley (26) weds legal aide Maureen Blumhardt in Elkton, Maryland

Famous Divorces

More Weddings & Divorces

Famous Deaths

More Famous Deaths

Articles on Events in 1989