"Old times there are not forgotten"
Inflation, interest rates and the foreign trade deficit continued to increase throughout the year and the Consumer Price Index rose at the highest rate in 33 years. However, the Dow Jones Average of industrial stocks did not suffer and trading was heavy. Consumption of petroleum products declined as did school enrollment. A woman was elected mayor of Chicago for the first time. The American ambassador to Afghanistan was kidnapped. He was later killed. A Shiite Islamic dictatorship came to power in Iran that led to the seizure of the American Embassy with United States diplomatic personnel being held hostage. American embassies in Pakistan and Lybia were attacked by Islamic fundamentalists.
New book titles: A Streak of Luck, Hanta Yo, Jailbird, The Executioner's Song and The Ghost Writer.
At the movies: Being There, Kramer vs. Kramer and Norma Rae.
On stage: Evita, Grease, Sugar Babies and The Elephant Man.
Emmy awards: Peter Strauss for The Jericho Mile, Bette Davis for Strangers, Rob Liebman for Kaz and Mariette Hartley for The Incredible Hulk.
January 4
The legal battle resulting from the Kent State shootings in 1970 came to a close through a financial settlement.
March 28
A nuclear accident occurred at the Three Mile Island power plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
May 11
Classmate Rita Bright received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Western State College at Gunnison, Colorado.
October 17
Creation of the Department of Education on a Cabinet-level, separating Education from Health and Welfare was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
October 1
Pope John Paul II arrived in the United States for a six-day visit.
December 21
Federal aid for Chrysler Corporation in the form of loan guarantees was approved in the Congress.