This Month in History: March 1986

We enter into the third month of 2026 and take another 40 year look back in the rear view mirror of key events that occurred in March of 1986.

Do you recall any of these events?

March 2: Protesters try and stop the Land Rover motor company being sold to the U.S.

March 5: The Today tabloid newspaper is launched in Britain as the first national colour newspaper. Publication continues until 1995.

March 6: Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor premieres in London.

March 8: Four French TV crew members are abducted in West Beirut, Lebanon.

March 8: Martina Navratilova becomes the first tennis player to earn $10 million.

(Photo Courtesy: Jerry Coli/Dreamstime.com  via https://https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martina-Navratilovawww.britannica.com/biography/Martina-Navratilova)

March 8: The Young Ones and Cliff Richard release a new version of the single Living Doll for Comic Relief.

March 9: NASA announces that searchers have found the remains of Challenger astronauts.

March 11: This day marks one million days since the foundation of Rome on April 21, 753 BC.

March 13: The 12th People’s Choice Awards takes place, with Bill Crosby, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Meryl Streep all winning awards.

(Photo Courtesy: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420277/?ref_=mv_close)

March 13: Microsoft has its first initial public offering.

March 15: Funeral services are held for the assassinated Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme. He was the first national leader of Sweden to be assassinated since Gustav III in 1792.

March 20: Jacques Chirac forms the French government.

March 20: New York City passes its first lesbian and gay rights legislation.

March 21: In the U.S., the Pittsburgh Associates buy the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team for $218 million.

March 24: The Men’s International Professional Tennis Council announces Jimmy Connors’ 10 week suspension and $20,000 fine for storming off the court after defaulting against Ivan Lendl at Boca Raton, Florida in February.

March 24: The 58th Academy Awards takes place, with the film Out of Africa winning Best Picture.

March 26: Geffen Records signs the band Guns & Roses.

March 31: Mexicana Airlines Boeing 727 crashes, killing 167 people.

March 31: Hampton Court in England is damaged badly by fire, killing one person.

March 31: Six metropolitan county councils are abolished in England.