1985 Newspapers

Find out what happened on any day this year with a 1985 newspaper, featuring original reports from newspapers such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Dallas Morning News. The 1980s was a decade filled with political and social change. The world was a very different place during this decade.

People’s attitudes towards sexuality and identity were undergoing significant change, as the world was gripped by the AIDS epidemic which spread globally. Music, fashion and technology reshaped pop culture entirely, and channeled the concept of identity into the realm of consumerism. Discover which events characterized the decade with an original newspaper featuring articles and pictures from the time.

FROM $64.99
1985 Newspapers

1985 Newspaper Headlines

Learn about the year’s most fascinating events through authentic 1985 newspaper articles, chronicling events as they happened. First hand accounts of 1985 headlines are an insightful way to learn about history, and the effect that it had in shaping modern society as we know it today. It was during this year that a “Live Aid” concert raised over $50 million for famine in Africa.

The first blood test to identify the AIDS virus was approved in the U.S., Windows 1.0 was released, and South Africa ended its ban on interracial marriage. All of these events and more are covered in original 1985 newspapers. Historical newspapers are a fabulous gift idea for anyone interested in history, or with a particular connection to any given year in history.

January 20, 1985
President Ronald Reagan is privately sworn in for a second term in office. He is publicly sworn in the following day.

January 28, 1985 
The charity single “We Are The World” is recorded by USA for Africa. Following on from the very successful “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” record by band Aid in the UK two months before, the single was recorded to raise money to combat the ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The single featured artists such as Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross.

February 10, 1985
Nelson Mandela rejects an offer of freedom from the South African government.

February 14, 1985 
21 year old Whitney Houston releases her debut album Whitney Houston. 

March 6, 1985 
Mike Tyson makes his professional debut in New York, winning his match by a first-round knockout.

March 8, 1985 
A car bomb planted in Beirut by CIA mercenaries attempts to kill Islamic cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah and kills more than eighty people, injuring 200.

April 15, 1985
South Africa ends its ban on interracial marriages.

April 23, 1985 
Coca Cola releases ‘New Coke’, with a different recipe to the original. The negative response to the new recipe meant the original formula appeared back on the market less than three months later.

June 17, 1985 
The Discovery Channel is launched in the United States by John Hendricks.

June 27, 1985 
U.S. Route 66 is officially decommissioned.

July 3, 1985 
Back to the Future opens in U.S. theaters, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1985 in the United States and the first film in the successful franchise.

July 4, 1985
Ruth Lawrence achieves a first in mathematics at Oxford University at just thirteen-years-old. She therefore becomes the youngest British person ever to earn a first-class degree and the youngest known graduate of Oxford University.

July 13, 1985
“Live Aid” pop concerts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and London raise over $50 million for famine relief in Ethiopia. Rock band Queen performed at Wembley Stadium in London for over 20 minutes, and their performance was recreated in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody.

August 6 1985
In Hiroshima, tens of thousands mark the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.

September 1, 1985
A joint American-French expedition locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic.

September 19, 1985
An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale strikes Mexico City. More than 9,000 people are killed, 30,000 injured, and 95,000 left homeless.

October 1, 1985
The Israeli air force bombs the Palestine Liberation Organisation Headquarters near Tunis.

October 18, 1985
The Nintendo Entertainment System is released in American shops.

November 19, 1985
In Geneva, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev meet for the first time to attempt to end the Cold War.

November 20, 1985
Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0.

November 26, 1985 
President Ronald Reagan sells the rights to his autobiography to Random House for a record $3 million.

More from this Decade

ReviewsReviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5

based on 109 reviews

Paula G September 19 2023

Very unique, interesting to see what happens 70 years ago.

Deeanna Franklin Campbell September 19 2023

It was an 80th birthday gift for my dad. He loved it. Wonderful trip down memory lane. The paper is very fragile and turning the dry pages takes great care, but that just helped with the authenticity and magic of the look into the past. Thanks!

Benjamin W August 17 2023

This is a great product and is the perfect gift for a loved one

Kenneth Robinson August 11 2023

For a newspaper that’s 80+ years old and almost perfect, can’t go wrong.

Francis Fornara August 4 2023

No complaints except for received package crushed

Richard July 31 2023

The product was excellent, and the service outstanding…n

Maryflorence Cox July 21 2023

The best choice for gifts

B. Fisher July 19 2023

Well preserved and presented newspaper.

ProSurveyTaker July 14 2023

The communication as far as tracking was great. The site doesn't show you exactly what the paper you selected looks like, so that makes the whole thing a guessing game of sorts. My mother received her newspaper from 1945. She appreciated the ability to "touch" history, but the smell of the paper was almost unbearable. Be warned; sensitive noses may not be able to stand the smell of this product!

  • July 17 2023

    Thank you for your review.

    We are sorry to hear of your disappointment.

    The newspaper you have received is the original newspaper from that day in 1945, we do advertise that we sell original newspapers therefore due to the nature of the product and the storage process they will not arrive as a new newspaper would from today.

    As your product is over 78 years old, over time newspapers will age as they are genuine originals from that time and as part of the aging process they become fragile and dis-coloured thus giving it a tea stained effect, they also become brittle which is why we use archive tape where we can to reinforce the spine, the middle of the newspaper where it is folded and on areas which may deteriorate from excessive use but as you can appreciate, we cannot prevent deterioration we can only keep it in a humid environment which is why there maybe a musky smell.

    Please accept our apologies for any inconvenienced caused.

    Kindest Regards
    The Historic Newspapers Team

Craig July 11 2023

A wonderful well preserved and presented item