Born in 1983
Turns 43 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1983
1983 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $30.00Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $30.00
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $30.00
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $30.00
Front Page: United States edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1983 · United States
A little history to go with their gift.
ARPANET’s shift to TCP/IP helped shape the modern internet, Nintendo launched its Family Computer in Japan, and Return of the Jedi concluded the original Star Wars trilogy. The year connected a foundational network change with home gaming and a major cinema finale.
What happened in 1983?
Guion Bluford becomes the first African American in space
Guion Bluford became the first African American to travel into space when Challenger launched on STS-8 on August 30, 1983.
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space
Sally Ride launched aboard Challenger on June 18, 1983, becoming the first American woman in space.
Two astronauts step out into space from Challenger
On Challenger’s first mission, Donald Peterson and Story Musgrave carried out the first spacewalk of the Shuttle program.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration · TIME; Frederic Golden
Reagan signs the King holiday bill
President Ronald Reagan signed the law creating a federal holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. on November 2, 1983.
U.S. House of Representatives, History, Art & Archives · The Washington Post; David Hoffman
Firsts and new ideas
The internet adopted a common protocol family
ARPANET adopted TCP/IP as its standard protocol suite on 1 January 1983, a key step toward the modern internet.
Internet Society; Barry M. Leiner, Vinton G. Cerf, David D. Clark, et al. · Internet Engineering Task Force, RFC Editor; Jon Postel
Microsoft reveals Windows software
Microsoft announced Windows on November 10, 1983, as a graphical environment for MS-DOS computers.
Number ones and music in 1983
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
The Police hold the top Hot 100 spot
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” held No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart dated August 27, 1983.
Billboard Publications; archived scan at World Radio History · ABC Audio; Jill Lances
Irene Cara reaches No. 1 with “Flashdance...What a Feeling”
“Flashdance...What a Feeling” rose from No. 3 to No. 1 on May 28, 1983, and spent six weeks atop the Hot 100.
Prices and everyday money in 1983
United States figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| White pan bread | 54¢ | 1 lb loaf U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service; Stacker; Ben Wittstein |
| Fresh grocery milk | $1.13 | ½ gallon U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service; Stacker; Ben Wittstein |
| Domestic first-class letter | 20¢ | first oz United States Postal Service; The Washington Post |
| Unleaded regular motor gasoline | $1.241 | gallon U.S. Energy Information Administration; Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 145; Robert L. Bradley Jr. |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1983 turns 43 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
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