On This Day
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A federal jury in Los Angeles acquits automaker John Z. DeLorean of cocaine charges

John Zachary DeLorean ( də-LOR-ee-ən; January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.S. automobile industry.

John Zachary DeLorean ( də-LOR-ee-ən; January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.S. automobile industry. He is widely known as founder of the DeLorean Motor Company, as well as for his work at General Motors.

DeLorean managed the development of several vehicles throughout his career, including the Pontiac GTO, Pontiac Firebird, Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevrolet Cosworth Vega, and DMC DeLorean, which was featured in the 1985 film Back to the Future. He was the youngest division chief in General Motors history and then left to start the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) in 1973.

Historical Significance

John Zachary DeLorean ( də-LOR-ee-ən; January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.

Events Before

  1. 'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. Na

    'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. National Public Radio

  2. IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped f

    IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped from him for accepting $25 to play semi-pro baseball

  3. Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

    Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

  4. Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewel

    Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; a record 125 million viewers watch in the US

  5. Actor Harrison Ford marries screenwriter Melissa Mathison (divorced 2004)

    Francis Ford Coppola ( KOH-pə-lə; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. One of the leading figures of the New Hollywood, Coppola is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential...

Events After

  1. 'Nordu.net' is registered as the world's first domain name on the internet

    This is a list of the oldest extant registered generic top-level domains used in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Until 1986, Domain Registration was limited to organizations with access to…

  2. Israel's government confirms the resettlement of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews

    Israel's government confirms the resettlement of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews

  3. Baseball player Darryl Strawberry (22) weds Lisa Andrews

    Baseball player Darryl Strawberry (22) weds Lisa Andrews

  4. Charity single "We Are the World" recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, B

    Charity single "We Are the World" recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and other pop stars)

  5. South African President P. W. Botha offers to free Nelson Mandela if he denounces violence

    Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

More from the 1980s

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall falls as East Germany opens its borders, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification.

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Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

The Space Shuttle Challenger breaks apart 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members in one of the most devastating disasters in space exploration history.

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The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the

The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff, setting numerous playoff scoring records

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Bill Veeck dies

Bill Veeck baseball executive, known for american baseball executive, died on 1986-01-02. William Louis Veeck Jr.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 16, 1984?
John Zachary DeLorean ( də-LOR-ee-ən; January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.S. automobile industry. He is widely known as founder of the DeLorean Motor Company, as well as for his work at General Motors.
Why is A federal jury in Los Angeles acquits automaker John Z. DeLorean of cocaine c... significant?
John Zachary DeLorean ( də-LOR-ee-ən; January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.

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August 16 in HistoryYear 1984