In 1988, Time Magazine named the "Endangered Earth" as its "Planet of the Year," a rare choice that focused on global environmental threats, marking a shift from individuals to symbolic concepts, as noted in this Wikipedia article and Time Magazine's own archive. The selection highlighted concerns over biodiversity, the ozone layer, and greenhouse gases, recognizing humanity's profound impact on the planet, says The Globalist.
Man of the Year Mikhail Gorbachev.
Twice named TIME's Man of the Year, in 1987 and 1989, Gorbachev was active in Soviet party work for four decades.
Controversial choices
However, Time points out that controversial figures such as Adolf Hitler (1938), Joseph Stalin (1939 and 1942), Nikita Khrushchev (1957), and Ayatollah Khomeini (1979) have also been granted the title for their impact on events.
--Time magazine named Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as its 1985 Man of the Year, citing his “sweeping economic reforms that have challenged Marxist orthodoxies.” It was the second time that the 81-year-old patriarch of more than 1 billion people, the world's most populous country, was named Man of the Year.
His grace under fire (and a tight budget) led to a prosperous Olympics in Los Angeles – and great personal success for himself: Ueberroth, who ended up with a nearly $250 million surplus from the games, was named TIME's Man of the Year in 1984.
Breaking from tradition, "The Computer" became the first inanimate object to receive the annual "Person of the Year" (or in this case, "Machine of the Year") award presented by US news magazine Time, claiming the accolade for the year 1982.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only person to have been named Person of the Year three times.
In naming him Man of the Year for 1980, TIME described President Reagan's mandate: "To control inflation, to reduce unnecessary governmental influence in private lives and in business, to reassert America's prominence in the world."
He was on TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year in 2008 and 2012.
The most “TIME Person of the Year” titles awarded to an individual male is three, achieved by Franklin D Roosevelt (USA) in 1932, 1934 and 1941. Roosevelt was named “Person of the Year” in 1932 after his landslide victory in the US presidential election, defeating the incumbent Herbert Hoover (USA).
Ayatullah Khomeini: 1979 - Person of the Year: A Photo History - TIME.
Corazon Aquino was the eleventh president of the Republic of the Philippines and the first female president. Elected into office on February 25, 1986, Aquino restored democracy to the Philippines after the long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Aquino was named TIME magazine's Woman of the Year in 1987.
Three decades ago, the Winter Olympics took place in Calgary and the Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, candidates Michael Dukakis and George Bush competed for the 1988 U.S. presidential election, the Soviet Union withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, NASA's Space Shuttle program resumed launches following the 1986 ...
Some big 1988 events include the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century. The Soviet war with Afghanistan eventually ended after 8 long years, and the devastating Pan Am Flight 103 disaster shocked the world in December.
Greta Thunberg: Youngest TIME Person of the Year.
Time magazine: Jimmy Carter Time Man of the Year., 1977, January 3.
President Ronald Reagan earned this honor twice—first in 1980 and again in 1983 📷 Here's a look back at both of Ronald Reagan's iconic TIME covers.
The 1984 Person of the Year was Peter Ueberroth, who ran the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
TIME Magazine Cover: Mikhail Gorbachev, Man of the Year - Jan. 4, 1988 - Mikhail Gorbachev - Person of the Year - Cold War - Russia.
Mikhail Gorbachev, Person of the Year for 1987 and 1989.
'Architects of AI' named Time magazine's 2025 person of the year. The "Architects of AI" were named Time's person of the year Thursday, with the magazine citing 2025 as when the potential of artificial intelligence "roared into view" with no turning back.
Person of the Year 1991: Ted Turner.
Jimmy Carter: 1976 - Person of the Year: A Photo History - TIME.
Pope John Paul II: 1994 - Person of the Year: A Photo History - TIME.