The Eighties (1980 – 1989 CE)

1980

• Althea Garrison volunteers for Ted Kennedy’s presidential campaign.

1981

• Althea Garrison campaigns for a seat on the Boston city council.
• May 18: Lawrence Mass publishes “Disease Rumors Largely Unfounded” in The New York Native newspaper.
• June 5: The CDC publishes its first documentation of the disease that will become known as AIDS.

1982

• August Wilson publishes a play about Ma Rainey called Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
• Althea Garrison runs for the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
• September 24: The CDC officially names Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (or AIDS).

1983

• Ma Rainey is inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame.
• Althea Garrison runs for Boston City Council.

1984

• The Dutch government posthumously awards Willem Arondeus with the Resistance Memorial Cross.

1985

• Dale Olson leaves Rogers & Cowans and begins his own firm, Dale C. Olson & Associates.
• Althea Garrison runs for Boston City Council.
• July 21: Dale Olson releases a statement on behalf of his client, Rock Hudson, announcing that Hudson has inoperable liver cancer. However, Dale strongly believes Hudson can bring much needed attention to the AIDS crisis and encourages his client to do so.
• July 25: Thanks largely to Dale Olson‘s encouragement, Rock Hudson’s French publicist releases a statement acknowledging that Rock Hudson has AIDS. The number of donations made to AIDS research through the rest of this year more than double those donated in the entirety of 1984.

1986

• Althea Garrison runs for Massachusetts House of Representatives.
• Dung Hà is arrested for robbery. After twelve months in prison, she resumes a life of crime.
• June 19: Israel recognizes Willem Arondeus as Righteous Among the Nations.

1987

• Althea Garrison runs for Boston City Council.

1989

• Althea Garrison runs for Boston City Council.
• May 3: Christine Jorgensen passes away from bladder and lung cancer.