1979#Nobel Prizes

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Events by month|1979}}

{{About year|1979}}

File:1979 Events Collage.jpg invades Afghanistan, starting the Soviet-Afghan War; Sony releases the Walkman; the SALT II treaties are signed; Iranian students crowd the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis; the oil tanker Betelgeuse explodes, killing 50 people; American Airlines Flight 191 crashes, leaving 273 people dead; Ixtoc 1 suffers a blowout, spilling 3.5 million barrels of oil; the Iranian Revolution culminates in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty.]]

{{Year nav|1979}}

{{C20 year in topic}}

{{Year article header|1979}}

{{TOC limit|2}}

Events

=January=

{{main|January 1979}}

= February =

{{Main|February 1979}}

File:Flag of Saint Lucia.svg: Saint Lucia becomes independent]]

File:Flag of Iran.svg

  • February 1Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran, Iran after nearly 15 years of exile.{{cite book|author=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|title=Fundamentalisms Observed|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qd5yzP5hdiEC&pg=PA403|date=July 1994|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-50878-8|pages=403}}
  • February 3 – Ayatollah Khomeini creates the Council of the Islamic Revolution.
  • February 7
  • Iranian Revolution: Supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini take over the Iranian law enforcement, courts, and government administration; the final session of the Iranian National Consultative Assembly is held.
  • Pluto moves inside Neptune's orbit for the first time since either was known to science.
  • Nazi criminal Josef Mengele suffers a fatal stroke and drowns while swimming in Bertioga, Brazil. His remains are found in 1985.
  • February 1011 – The Iranian Revolution ends with the Iranian army withdrawing to its barracks leaving power in the hands of Ayatollah Khomeini, ending the Pahlavi dynasty.
  • February 11 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Simba Hills: The Tanzanian military began its assault on the Simba Hills near the town of Kakuuto.
  • February 12 – Prime Minister Hissène Habré starts the Battle of N'Djamena in an attempt to overthrow Chad's President Félix Malloum.
  • February 13
  • An intense windstorm strikes western Washington and sinks a {{convert|1.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} long section of the Hood Canal Bridge.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=The windstorm that sank the Hood Canal Bridge exactly 44 years ago |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/windstorm-that-sank-hood-canal-bridge-exactly-44-years-ago/OTNCVFYQTJHRLEPYOP4AJ77VZA/ |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=KIRO 7 News Seattle}}
  • The Guardian Angels are formed in New York City as an unarmed organization of young crime fighters.
  • February 14 – In Kabul, Muslim extremists kidnap the American ambassador to Afghanistan, Adolph Dubs, who is killed during a gunfight between his kidnappers and police.J. Robert Moskin, American Statecraft: The Story of the U.S. Foreign Service (Thomas Dunne Books, 2013), p. 594.
  • February 15 – A suspected gas explosion in a Warsaw bank kills 49 people.
  • February 17 – The People's Republic of China invades northern Vietnam, launching the Sino-Vietnamese War.
  • February 18
  • The 1979 Daytona 500 is televised on CBS, the first ever full airing of a 500-mile race on US television, Richard Petty wins after Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison battle for first place on the final lap and crash out, leading to a fist fight. This race brought NASCAR to a wider audience.{{Cite web |last=Columnist |first=Al Pearce Sports |title=The most important race in NASCAR history |url=https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/sports/professional/the-most-important-race-in-nascar-history/article_7ba1fcb8-e8b1-5e4d-9ddb-f8538b4f2b84.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=RockyMount Telegram |date=June 18, 2022}}
  • The Khomeini government in Iran cuts diplomatic relations with Israel.
  • February 21 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Gayaza Hills: A Tanzanian brigade successfully dislodged Ugandan forces from the Gayaza Hills. The battle is hard-fought, and the Tanzanians suffer their largest number of casualties in a single engagement of the war.
  • February 22Saint Lucia becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
  • February 26
  • A total solar eclipse, the last visible from the continental United States until 2017, arcs over northwestern conterminous US and central Canada ending in Greenland. A partial solar eclipse is visible over almost all of North America and Central America including the eastern half of Alaska and the western half of the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0111979/|title=Total Eclipse of the Sun: 1979 February 26|publisher=HM Nautical Almanac Office|date=2011-04-11|access-date=2013-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328051052/http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0111979/|archive-date=March 28, 2006|url-status=dead}}
  • The Superliner railcar enters revenue service with Amtrak.
  • February 27
  • The annual Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans is cancelled due to a strike called by the New Orleans Police Department.
  • The Soviet oil tanker Antonio Gramsci suffers a minor shipwreck in shallow waters shortly after leaving shore in Ventspils, resulting in a 5,000 ton oil spill, the largest that has ever occurred on the Baltic Sea.{{cite web | url= https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11652270| title= "Tämmöinen öljyhomma merellä on laitoksen sisäinen asia, eikä siitä tiedoteta" – Itämeren pahin öljyturma pysyi pimennossa lähes kuukauden | website = Yle | date = 2020-11-27 | access-date = 2021-11-04 }}

= March =

{{Main|March 1979}}

=April=

{{Main|April 1979}}

=May=

{{main|May 1979}}

= June =

{{main|June 1979}}

=July=

{{main|July 1979}}

File:Flag of Kiribati.svg: Kiribati becomes independent]]

=August=

{{main|August 1979}}

=September=

{{main|September 1979}}

=October=

{{main|October 1979}}

File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines becomes independent]]

=November=

{{main|November 1979}}

= December =

{{main|December 1979}}

= Date unknown =

Births

{{Main|Category:1979 births}}

{{BDToC|births}}

= January =

File:Jagmeet Singh at the 2nd National Bike Summit - Ottawa - 2018 (42481105871) (cropped v2).jpg]]

File:2018-02-26 Frankfurt Flughafen Ankunft Olympiamannschaft-6043.jpg]]

File:Sarah Polley - 66th Venice International Film Festival, 2009 (2).jpg]]

File:Siti Nurhaliza - Khairul Fahmi's Wedding 2013.jpg]]

File:Svetlana Khorkina 2017.jpg]]

= February =

File:Cerina Vincent 2006.jpg]]

File:Valentín Elizalde in 2006.jpg]]

File:Tawakkol Karman (2019) II.jpg]]

File:Josh Keaton 2018 (cropped).jpg]]

File:Irina Slutskaya IF Moscow 04-2016.jpg]]

File:Jesse Spencer 2009.jpg]]

File:2016-02-01 Mena Suvari (7).jpg]]

File:Jocelyn-Quivrin-Notre-univers.JPG]]

File:Valentino Rossi 2017.jpg]]

File:Jennifer Love Hewitt LF2.jpg]]

File:Jordan Peele Peabody 2014 (cropped).jpg]]

= March =

File:Ricardo Rosselló.jpg]]

File:Melina Perez.jpg]]

File:20131119 AT-USA Howard IP2O2977.JPG]]

File:Oscar Isaac by Gage Skidmore.jpg]]

File:Danny Pudi by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg]]

File:20170615-126-Nova Rock 2017-Good Charlotte-Joel Madden.jpg]]

File:AdamLevine2011.jpg]]

File:Lee Pace Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2020.jpg]]

File:Norahjonesongma (cropped).jpg]]

= April =

File:Lindy Booth by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg]]

File:Jesse Carmichael 2007.11.29.jpg]]

File:Sophie Ellis-Bextor 2015.jpg]]

File:Claire Danes.jpg]]

File:Jennifer Morrison SDCC 2014.jpg]]

File:Luke Evans in 2018 (cropped 4).jpg]]

File:Kourtney_Kardashian_2_2009.jpg]]

File:Kate Hudson (8033413872) (cropped).jpg]]

File:James McAvoy by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg]]

File:Jamie King in San Diego Comic-Con 2008 cropped.jpg]]

= May =

File:Lance Bass 2014.jpg]]

File:Jon Montgomery.jpg]]

File:Rosario Dawson SXSW 2022.jpg]]

File:Mickey Madden 2007.11.29.jpg]]

File:MaggieQSmileSDCCJuly10.jpg]]

File:Ashley Massaro 2011.jpg]]

File:Elisabeth Harnois at The Witching Hour, 2006.jpg]]

File:Jesse Bradford by David Shankbone.jpg]]

= June =

File:Morena Baccarin by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg]]

File:Pete Wentz - Hella Mega Tour - August 10, 2021 (cropped).jpg]]

File:Anna Torv headshot.jpg]]

File:Robyn face.jpg]]

File:Chris Pratt 2018.jpg]]

File:Mindy Kaling by Claire Leahy (cropped).jpg]]

File:Busy Philipps (47282558822) (cropped).jpg]]

File:RyanTedderphotocall (cropped).jpg]]

File:Felicia Day by Gage Skidmore 5.jpg]]

File:MatisyahuPressShotOfficial.jpg]]

= July =

File:Kevin Hart 2014 (cropped 2).jpg]]

File:Scott Porter by Gage Skidmore.jpg]]

File:Laura Benanti cropped.jpg]]

File:Jayma Mays (GLEE) (cropped).jpg]]

File:Mike Vogel SDCC 2014 (cropped).jpg]]

File:Marielle Franco.jpg]]

File:Rose Byrne 4, 2013.jpg]]

File:Mageina Tovah by David Shankbone.jpg]]

File:Michelle Williams 2015.jpg]]

= August =

File:Jason Momoa (43055621224) (cropped).jpg]]

File:Evangeline Lilly 2014 Comic Con 01.jpg]]

File:Maria Haukaas Storeng 01.jpg]]

File:Joanna Garcia.jpg]]

File:Pete Browngardt at New York Comic Con 2014 - Peter Dzubay (cropped).jpg]]

File:Aaron Paul by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg]]

= September =

File:Júlio César FC Internazionale.jpg]]

File:Pink beautiful trauma live 2018.jpg]]

File:Dave Annable.jpg]]

File:AmyDavidsonJune06.jpg]]

File:Recording artist Flo Rida during a live music performance for the closing ceremonies of the 2016 Invictus Games (cropped).jpg]]

File:Bam Margera 2017.jpg]]

= October =

File:Brianna Brown.jpg]]

File:Rachael Leigh Cook Photo Op GalaxyCon Raleigh 2019 (cropped).jpg]]

File:Aaron Ashmore 2015.jpg]]

File:Shawn Ashmore SDCC 2014.jpg]]

File:5.21.11KristannaLokenByLuigiNovi.jpg]]

File:Jawed_Karim_2008.jpg]]

File:Chris O'Dowd at British Comedy Awards.jpg]]

File:Brandon Routh Photo Op GalaxyCon Columbus 2022.jpg]]

File:John Krasinski 2018.png]]

= November =

File:Lamar Odom (37) (cropped).jpg]]

File:Cote de Pablo retouch.jpg]]

File:Mpule Kwelagobe.jpg]]

File:Neeti Mohan Har Kisi Ko.jpg]]

File:Kelly Brook at 2015 TCA (cropped).jpg]]

File:Joel Kinnaman (28494159712) (cropped).jpg]]

= December =

File:Sabina Babayeva (Eurovision Song Contest 2012).jpg]]

File:Eric Bauza by Gage Skidmore.jpg]]

File:Sara Bareilles 10 13 2015 (36191615226) (cropped).jpg]]

File:Adam Brody TIFF 2011.jpg]]

File:Zach Hill 2012.jpg]]

= Unknown date =

Deaths

{{Main|Category:1979 deaths}}

= January =

File:Nelson Rockefeller.jpg]]

= February =

File:Sid Vicious 1978 (cropped).jpg]]

= March =

File:José María Velasco Ibarra.jpg]]

= April =

File:Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.jpg]]

= May =

File:Mary_Pickford_cph.3c17995u.jpg]]

= June =

File:Werner Forssmann nobel.jpg]]

File:John Wayne - still portrait.jpg]]

= July =

File:Tomonaga.jpg]]

File:Retrato de Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.png]]

|publisher=Busca Biografias |language=es|access-date=May 30, 2019}}

=August=

File:John G. Diefenbaker.jpg]]

File:Mika-Waltari-1958.jpg]]

File:Camorra Jean Seberg.png]]

= September =

File:President MPLA, heer Neto door Den Uyl ontvangen premier Den Uyl en A Neto (r), Bestanddeelnr 927-8518 (cropped).jpg]]

File:Dame Gracie Fields Allan Warren.jpg]]

File:Don Francisco Macias.jpg]]

= October =

File:Park Chung hee.jpg]]

= November =

File:Merle Oberon-publicity.JPG]]

File:Zeppo Marx.jpg]]

= December =

File:Rafael F.Bonnelly.jpg]]

File:Rodgers.jpg]]

Nobel Prizes

Media

References

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{{reflist}}

Further reading

  • Caryl, Christian, Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century (2013), 1979 as worldwide turning point; [https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Rebels-Birth-Century-ebook/dp/B00C4GRUOM/ excerpt and text search]
  • Facts on File. Facts on File Yearbook: 1979 (1980) weekly factual report on events worldwide.
  • Hodson, H.V. Annual Register of World Events 1979 (1980), in-depth coverage of major countries
  • Paxton, John, ed. Statesman's Yearbook 1978–1979 (1980), statistical details on all countries

{{Events by month links}}

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