The stock-market crash that began on October 19, 1987, is called Black Monday.
Black Monday refers specifically to the extraordinary global sell-off on Monday, October 19, 1987. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 22.6%, while other major markets also recorded steep losses. The event followed declines in Asian and European markets, making it an early example of how closely linked international financial markets had become.
The name is sometimes confused with Black Monday in 1929, but the 1987 label is the one most commonly associated with the largest one-day percentage fall in the Dow. It is also distinct from Black Thursday and Black Tuesday, names used for key days in the 1929 Wall Street Crash.
Despite its severity, the 1987 crash did not produce a depression comparable to the 1930s. Central banks supplied liquidity, and the U.S. economy continued expanding. Nevertheless, exchanges introduced stronger mechanisms to pause trading during extreme volatility.