What happened in 1976
105 entries recorded for 1976, listed by date. That was 50 years ago.
1976 at a glance
- Years ago
- 50 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 20th century
- Decade
- 1970s
- Generation born
- Generation X
- Entries here
- 105
- Breakdown
- 98 historical events · 6 births · 1 deaths
January
- January 2
Gale of January 1976
An extratropical cyclone began affecting parts of western Europe, resulting in coastal flooding around the southern portions of the North Sea and leading to at least 82 deaths.
- January 3
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, comes into force.
- January 4
The Troubles
The Troubles: The Ulster Volunteer Force shoots dead six Irish Catholic civilians in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The next day, gunmen would shoot dead ten Protestant civilians nearby in retaliation.
- January 5
The Troubles
The Troubles: In response to the killings of six Catholics the previous night, South Armagh Republican Action Force gunmen killed ten Protestants in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.
- January 5
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge announce that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea is ratified.
- January 12
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council votes 11–1 to allow the Palestine Liberation Organization to participate in a Security Council debate (without voting rights).
- January 15
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford's would-be assassin, Sara Jane Moore, is sentenced to life in prison.
- January 21
Concorde
Concorde, an Anglo-French supersonic airliner, began scheduled commercial flights to London, Paris, Bahrain, and Rio de Janeiro.
February
- February 4
Guatemala
In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000.
- February 6
Lockheed Corporation
Lockheed Corporation president Carl Kotchian admitted that the company had paid out approximately US$3 million in bribes to the office of Japanese prime minister Kakuei Tanaka.
- February 6
United States Senate
In testimony before a United States Senate subcommittee, Lockheed Corporation president Carl Kotchian admits that the company had paid out approximately $3 million in bribes to the office of Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka.
- February 9
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ensign pictured) was formed by the integration of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Navy, and the Royal Australian Air Force.
- February 9
Aeroflot Flight 3739 (1976)
Aeroflot Flight 3739, a Tupolev Tu-104, crashes during takeoff from Irkutsk Airport, killing 24.
- February 11
Frente de Liberación Homosexual
The Frente de Liberación Homosexual made their final public appearance, shortly before the group's dissolution due to political repression after the Argentine coup d'état.
- February 15
Constitution of Cuba
The first constitution since the Cuban Revolution, providing for a system of government and law based on those of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, was adopted by a national referendum.
- February 19
Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066, which led to the relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps, is rescinded by President Gerald Ford's Proclamation 4417.
- February 24
Constitution of Cuba
The 1976 constitution of Cuba is formally proclaimed.
- February 27
Western Sahara
The former Spanish territory of Western Sahara, under the auspices of the Polisario Front declares independence as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
March
- March 4
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved in Northern Ireland, resulting in direct rule of Northern Ireland from London by the British parliament.
- March 9
1976 Cavalese cable car crash
Forty-two people die in the Cavalese cable car disaster, the deadliest cable car accident in history.
- March 24
Argentina
In Argentina, the armed forces overthrow the constitutional government of President Isabel Perón and start a seven-year dictatorial period self-styled the National Reorganization Process.
- March 27
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro (rolling stock pictured), the second-busiest rapid transit system in the U.S., opened to commuters.
- March 30
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: in the first organized response against Israeli policies by a Palestinian collective since 1948, Palestinians create the first Land Day.
April
- April 1
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer, Inc. (first logo pictured).
- April 5
China
In China, the April Fifth Movement leads to the Tiananmen Incident.
- April 9
EMD F40PH
The first EMD F40PH, Amtrak's most widespread diesel locomotive for many years, entered into service.
- April 13
United States Department of the Treasury
The United States Treasury Department reintroduces the two-dollar bill as a Federal Reserve Note on Thomas Jefferson's 233rd birthday as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration.
- April 13
Lapua Cartridge Factory explosion
Forty people died in an explosion at an ammunition factory in Lapua, Finland.
- April 18
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart, American actress
- April 18
Andrew Ng
Andrew Ng, British-born American artificial intelligence researcher
- April 19
1976 Brownwood tornado
A violent F5 tornado strikes around Brownwood, Texas, injuring 11 people. Two people were thrown at least 1,000 yards (910 m) by the tornado and survived uninjured.
- April 22
Dan Cloutier
Dan Cloutier, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- April 23
Ramones
The American band the Ramones released their debut album, which became highly influential on the emerging punk rock movement.
- April 27
American Airlines Flight 625
Thirty-seven people are killed when American Airlines Flight 625 crashes at Cyril E. King Airport in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
May
- May 6
1976 Friuli earthquake
An earthquake struck Northern Italy, killing 990 people and injuring up to 3,000.
- May 8
The Great American Revolution
Great American Revolution opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain, California.
- May 15
Aeroflot Flight 1802
Aeroflot Flight 1802 crashes near Viktorivka, Chernihiv Raion, Chernihiv Oblast, killing 52.
- May 24
Judgment of Paris (wine)
The Judgment of Paris takes place in France, launching California as a worldwide force in the production of quality wine.
- May 24
Wine competition
In a wine competition in Paris (wine bottle pictured), French judges shocked the wine industry by rating California wines higher than French ones.
June
- June 1
Aeroflot Flight 418
Aeroflot Flight 418 crashes in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, killing 46.
- June 5
Teton Dam
The Teton Dam in eastern Idaho, U.S., collapsed (failure pictured) as its reservoir was being filled for the first time, resulting in the deaths of eleven people and 13,000 cattle, and causing up to $2 billion in damage.
- June 6
Chief Minister of Sabah
Chief Minister of Sabah Faud Stephens, Peter Joinud Mojuntin, and several other politicians are killed in a plane crash near Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia.
- June 6
1976 Sabah Air GAF Nomad crash
A plane crashed near Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Malaysia, killing politicians Fuad Stephens (pictured) and Peter Joinud Mojuntin, along with nine others.
- June 6
J. Paul Getty
J. Paul Getty, American businessman, founded the Getty Oil Company (born 1892)
- June 7
Eric D. Johnson
Eric D. Johnson, American musician
- June 8
Lindsay Davenport
Lindsay Davenport, American tennis player
- June 16
Soweto uprising
Soweto uprising: A non-violent march by 15,000 students in Soweto, South Africa, turns into days of rioting when police open fire on the crowd.
- June 25
Missouri
Missouri Governor Kit Bond issues an executive order rescinding the Extermination Order, formally apologizing on behalf of the state of Missouri for the suffering it had caused to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- June 25
José Cancela
José Cancela, Uruguayan footballer
- June 27
Ebola
The first identifiable case of Ebola occurred in Sudan.
- June 27
Air France
Air France Flight 139 (Tel Aviv-Athens-Paris) is hijacked en route to Paris by the PFLP and redirected to Entebbe, Uganda.
- June 28
Angola
The Angolan court sentences US and UK mercenaries to death sentences and prison terms in the Luanda Trial.
- June 29
Seychelles
The Seychelles become independent from the United Kingdom.
- June 29
1976 Conference of Communist and Workers Parties of Europe
The Conference of Communist and Workers Parties of Europe convenes in East Berlin.
July
- July 2
Vietnam War
More than a year after the end of the Vietnam War, North and South Vietnam officially merged under communist rule to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
- July 2
Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam
End of South Vietnam; Communist North Vietnam annexes the former South Vietnam to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
- July 4
Israel Defense Forces
Israeli forces raided Uganda's Entebbe International Airport to free hostages taken by hijackers on Air France Flight 139.
- July 17
Timor-Leste
East Timor is annexed and becomes the 27th province of Indonesia.
- July 17
1976 Summer Olympics
The opening of the Summer Olympics in Montreal is marred by 25 African teams boycotting the games because of New Zealand's participation. Contrary to rulings by other international sports organizations, the IOC had declined to exclude New Zealand because of their participation in
- July 18
Nadia Comăneci
Nadia Comăneci becomes the first person in Olympic Games history to score a perfect 10 in gymnastics at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- July 18
1976 Summer Olympics
At the Olympic Games in Montreal, Nadia Comăneci (pictured) became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 for her routine on the uneven bars.
- July 19
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal is created.
- July 19
Bunbury woodchip bombing
Environmental activists bombed the port facilities in Bunbury, Western Australia, in an attempt to disrupt the woodchipping industry.
- July 20
Viking 1
The Viking 1 lander became the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and perform its mission.
- July 21
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, the British ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, is assassinated by the Provisional IRA.
- July 22
Philippines
Japan completed its last reparation to the Philippines for war crimes committed during imperial Japan's conquest of the country in the Second World War.
- July 25
Viking program
Viking program: Viking 1 takes the famous Face on Mars photo.
- July 25
Viking 1
The orbiting spacecraft Viking 1 took a photograph of an apparent face on Mars in a classic example of pareidolia.
- July 28
1976 Tangshan earthquake
An earthquake registering 7.6 Mw, one of the deadliest in history, devastated Tangshan, China, and killed at least 240,000 people.
- July 29
David Berkowitz
In New York City, David Berkowitz (a.k.a. the "Son of Sam") kills one person and seriously wounds another in the first of a series of attacks.
August
- August 1
Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda has a severe accident that almost claims his life at the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring.
- August 7
Viking program
Viking program: Viking 2 enters orbit around Mars.
- August 12
Palestinians
Between 1,000 and 3,500 Palestinians are killed in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre, one of the bloodiest events of the Lebanese Civil War.
- August 15
SAETA Flight 011 (1976)
SAETA Flight 011 crashes into the Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador, killing all 59 people on board; the wreckage is not discovered until 2002.
- August 17
1976 Moro Gulf earthquake
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake hits off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines, triggering a destructive tsunami, killing between 5,000 and 8,000 people and leaving more than 90,000 homeless.
- August 18
Panmunjom axe murder incident
The Korean axe murder incident in Panmunjom results in the deaths of two US Army officers.
- August 18
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union's robotic probe Luna 24 successfully lands on the Moon.
September
- September 3
Viking program
Viking program: The American Viking 2 spacecraft lands at Utopia Planitia on Mars.
- September 6
Viktor Belenko
Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko landed his MiG-25 in Hakodate, Japan, declaring his intention to defect to the West.
- September 9
1976 Anapa mid-air collision
Two Aeroflot flights collide in mid-air over Anapa, Soviet Union, killing 70.
- September 10
1976 Zagreb mid-air collision
A British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident and an Inex-Adria DC-9 collide near Zagreb, Yugoslavia, killing 176.
- September 10
TWA Flight 355
TWA Flight 355 is hijacked by five Croatian nationalists. The hijackers surrender upon landing in Paris.
- September 10
Indian Airlines
An Indian Airlines flight is hijacked by six Kashmiri separatists and diverted to Lahore International Airport, where the passengers and crew are released.
- September 17
Space Shuttle Enterprise
The Space Shuttle Enterprise is unveiled by NASA.
- September 19
1976 Tehran UFO incident
An unidentified flying object over Tehran in Iran was observed by multiple civilians and military personnel, which has been described as one of the most credible cases in ufology.
- September 19
Turkish Airlines Flight 452
Turkish Airlines Flight 452 hits the Taurus Mountains, outskirt of Karatepe, Turkey, killing all 154 passengers and crew.
- September 21
Seychelles
Seychelles joins the United Nations.
- September 21
Orlando Letelier
Orlando Letelier is assassinated in Washington, D.C., at the order of Augusto Pinochet.
- September 22
Scarlet GN
Red Dye No. 4 is banned by the US Food and Drug Administration after it is discovered that it causes tumors in the bladders of dogs.
October
- October 6
6 October 1976 massacre
Dozens are killed by Thai police and right-wing paramilitaries in the Thammasat University massacre; afterwards, the Seni Pramoj government is toppled in a military coup led by Sangad Chaloryu.
- October 6
Hua Guofeng
Premier Hua Guofeng arrests the Gang of Four, ending the Cultural Revolution in China.
- October 6
Coordination of United Revolutionary Organizations
Two bombs placed by the CIA-linked Cuban dissident group Coordination of United Revolutionary Organizations exploded on Cubana Flight 455, killing all 73 people aboard.
- October 6
Cubana de Aviación Flight 455
Cubana de Aviación Flight 455 is destroyed by two bombs, placed on board by an anti-Castro militant group.
- October 11
George Washington
George Washington is posthumously promoted to the grade of General of the Armies.
- October 13
Micrograph
The first electron micrograph of an Ebola virus is taken at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Dr. F. A. Murphy.
- October 13
Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano
A Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano Boeing 707 crashes after takeoff from El Trompillo Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, killing 91.
- October 20
Luling–Destrehan Ferry
The Luling–Destrehan Ferry MV George Prince is struck by the Norwegian freighter SS Frosta while crossing the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Seventy-eight passengers and crew die, and only 18 people aboard the ferry survive.
November
- November 1
Michel Micombero
Burundian president Michel Micombero is deposed in a bloodless military coup d'état by deputy Jean-Baptiste Bagaza.
- November 3
Carrie (1976 film)
Carrie, an American supernatural horror film directed by Brian De Palma, is premiered in 17 theaters in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area.
- November 6
Uttawar forced sterilisations
Uttawar forced sterilisations: Mass vasectomy of nearly 800 men of Uttawar village, Palwal district, Haryana during India's Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi.
- November 23
Jacques Mayol
Jacques Mayol became the first person to freedive to a depth of 100 metres (330 ft).
- November 24
1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye earthquake
A magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck eastern Turkey, destroying 80 per cent of buildings in the region and causing at least 4,000 casualties.
December
- December 2
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro becomes President of Cuba, replacing Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado.
- December 3
Reggae
Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley survived an assassination attempt by seven gunmen in Kingston.
- December 25
EgyptAir Flight 864
EgyptAir Flight 864, a Boeing 707-366C, crashes on approach to Don Mueang International Airport, killing 71 people.
Questions about 1976
What happened in 1976?
This site records 105 entries for 1976, including Gale of January 1976 on January 2. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1976?
50 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1976 turns 50 this year.
Which century is 1976 in?
1976 falls in the 20th century, in the 1970s.
Which generation was born in 1976?
Generation X (1965–1980). The latch-key generation; first to grow up with personal computers.
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