The nickname of the 1987 global stock-market crash’s record-breaking Monday was Black Monday.
Black Monday refers specifically to October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world suffered exceptionally large losses. In the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 508 points, equal to 22.6 percent of its value.
The label echoes “Black Thursday” and “Black Tuesday,” names associated with the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Because “Black Monday” has also been used for other market sell-offs, the year 1987 is important when identifying this particular event.
The crash did not lead to the same long economic depression associated with 1929. Central banks and financial authorities responded with emergency measures, and the episode led to reforms including coordinated circuit-breaker rules and stronger attention to market liquidity.