Black History Month on BBC 1Xtra

Throughout the month of October BBC 1Xtra will be celebrating the achievements, events, and black music icons that have contributed to this history over the last 5 decades. Each week we will be looking at a different decade focussing on the music, the politics and the drama that define that period in time.

Hear Part three of 1Xtra's Black History Month

BBC 1Xtra - Black History

Download Black History Month packages from BBC UK Black podcast

What happened in the 1980s:

• MTV debuts on cable TV in the States, over 79 million viewers tune in.
  
  
• Tensions between the Police and black people build across the country and riots break out in Brixton, Toxteth, Birmingham, Preston and Hull.
  
  
• The album and movie Purple Rain is released making Prince a superstar. It eventually sells over ten million copies in the U.S. and spends 24 weeks at number one.
  
  
• Illegal parties and acid house raves are sweeping the county. Kevin Saunderson forms Inner City in Detroit, releases Good Life and sets the foundations for Jungle and later Garage.
  
  
• Mike Tyson beats the UK's Frank Bruno in Las Vegas, knocking him out in the 5th round.

Learn about the 1960s

Learn about the 1970s

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