On this day

May 21, 1988

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from May 21, 1988

DEAL FOR NORIEGA TO LEAVE PANAMA REPORTED GAINING

By Steven V. Roberts, Special To the New York Times

LEAD: The Administration's chief negotiator in talks with Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega flew home for consultations tonight amid reports that progress had been made toward a deal that would remove the military leader from power in Panama.

Foreign Desk1376 words

New Soviet Motto: Down With Slogans!

By Bill Keller, Special To the New York Times

LEAD: In a quiet attack on urban blight and public cynicism, Moscow and other Soviet cities have begun methodically dismantling the huge political slogans that are among the best-known features of the Soviet skyline.

Foreign Desk1182 words

Cancer Drug Therapy Urged For All After Breast Surgery

By Gina Kolata

LEAD: In a major change of a longstanding policy, the National Cancer Institute is urging that all women who have breast cancer should have chemotherapy or hormonal therapy after the initial surgery, even if there is no evidence that the cancer has spread.

National Desk1045 words

The Drug Lords From Colombia

By Unknown Author

LEAD: The dominant groups in Colombia that control the world's cocaine trade are unlikely to be deterred by the conviction this week of a leading trafficker, experts on the drug trade say.

Foreign Desk145 words

Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of May 18, 1988, covering May 21, 1988.

  1. 1
    Album cover for Faith by George Michael

    Faith

    George Michael

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    27
  2. 2
    Album cover for Dirty Dancing by Soundtrack

    Dirty Dancing

    Soundtrack

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    36
  3. 3
    Album cover for More Dirty Dancing by Soundtrack

    More Dirty Dancing

    Soundtrack

    Last week
    3
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    10
  4. 4
    Album cover for Bad by Michael Jackson

    Bad

    Michael Jackson

    Last week
    5
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    35
  5. 5
    Album cover for Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby by Terence Trent D'Arby

    Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

    Terence Trent D'Arby

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    4
    Weeks
    31

Notable Births

Claire Cashmore

1988Claire Cashmore, English Paralympic swimmer[†]

Claire Cashmore is a Paralympic Swimming Champion and PTS5 classified British paratriathlete. She has been to four Paralympic Games with swimming and has won 4 bronze, 3 silver, and 1 gold medal. Cashmore also broke the world record in the SM9 100m Individual Medley in 2009. She decided to switch to competing in paratriathlon after winning gold and silver at the Paralympic Games in 2016, and became ITU World Champion in the PTS5 classification in 2019. Claire Cashmore is based in Loughborough, England. She was born in Redditch, England, without a left forearm.

Park Gyu-ri

1988Park Gyu-ri, South Korean singer[†]

Park Gyu-ri, better known by the mononym Gyuri, is a South Korean singer, actress, and radio personality. She is a member of South Korean girl group Kara.

Jonny Howson

1988Jonny Howson, English footballer[†]

Jonathan Mark Howson is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for and captains EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.

Kaire Leibak

1988Kaire Leibak, Estonian triple jumper[†]

Kaire Leibak is a retired Estonian triple jumper. Her personal best jump of 14.43 metres is the Estonian record.

Notable Deaths

1988Sammy Davis Sr., American actor and dancer (born 1900)[†]

Samuel George Davis Sr. was an American dancer and the father of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.

Historical Events

Margaret Thatcher

1988Margaret Thatcher holds her controversial Sermon on the Mound before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.[†]

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the position. As prime minister, she implemented policies that came to be known as Thatcherism. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style.

Historical Context for May 21, 1988

In 1988, the world population was approximately 5,141,992,542 people[†]