A China Airlines jumbo jet breaks apart in mid-air. The Boeing 747 aircraft crashed into the Taiwan Strait, leaving no survivors among the 225 people on board. The accident was caused by improper repairs 22 years earlier, and the airplane was far beyond the serviceable life recommended by Boeing in terms of the number of flights, total hours in the air, and the number of years in service.

American Airlines flight 191 crashes shortly after takeoff. The photo showing the lopsided DC-10 hurtling towards the ground at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago is one of the most horrifying images in aviation history. All 258 people on board died.

Etan Patz disappears. The disappearance and murder of the 6-year-old boy from New York City and the extensive publicity it received helped spark the missing children's movement.

The first Star Wars film is released. George Lucas' epic space opera is one of the most popular works in movie history.

32 African countries form a coalition against white rule. The Organisation of African Unity was founded to promote decolonization and end white minority governments in Africa. The OAU was replaced by the African Union in 2002.