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Historical Context for January 22, 1980

In 1980, the world population was approximately 4,447,606,236 people[†]

In 1980, the average yearly tuition was $738 for public universities and $3,225 for private universities. Today, these costs have risen to $9,750 and $35,248 respectively[†]

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Headlines from January 22, 1980

NEW CAREY BUDGET ASKS $13.79 BILLION AND SWEEPING CUTS; WOULD END 10,000 STATE JOBS Abolition of Some Agencies Urged Overall Spending in '80-'81 Would Increase Slightly Protecting Tax Cuts Key Proposals Listed New Carey Budget Seeks $13.79 Billion Not All Is Gloom 'Hidden' Transit Funds General 2 Percent Cut Room to Manuever Albany Budget Figures Doubled in 10 Years

By Richard J. Meislin Special To the New York Times

ALBANY, Jan. 21 Calling for tight new limits on government spending at the state and local level, Governor Carey proposed today a $13.79 billion budget for New York State for fiscal 1980-81.

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G.M. Prepares for Transition; Leadership Is Stepping Down Within a Year G.M. Prepares for Transition A Murphy Protege Kehrl Worked With Diesels Selections Take Several Months

By Reginald Stuart Special To the New York Times

DETROIT, Jan. 21 The old order changeth this year at the General Motors Corporation, the nation's largest auto maker and the very model of the modern industrial corporation. Both Thomas A. Murphy, the company's chairman, and Elliott M. Estes, its ...

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CARTER BIDS HEADS OF 100 GOVERNMENTS BACK OLYMPIC STAND; State Department Terms Support Encouraging but Response Is Said to Be Fragmentary Response Called Encouraging Problems With Committees President Asks 100 World Leaders To Back U.S. Position on Olympics Allied Response Cautious Killanin Asks for U.S. Report

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 President Carter sent personal messages to more than 100 heads of government today seeking their support for his proposal that the Summer Olympics not be held in Moscow unless Soviet troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan by Feb. 20, Administration officials said.

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ON STATE OF UNION SETS FEW NEW GOALS; NO TAX CUT IN COMING BUDGET Reduction of Inflation and Deficit Are Given Priority an Aide Cites Limits of Congress Impact of Foreign Crises President Sets Few New Initiatives In His State of the Union Message Argument Against Tax Cut

By Terence Smith Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 President Carter, outlining a modest package of legislative proposals for the election-year Congress, formally announced today that his budget for the fiscal year 1981 would seek no tax cuts.

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MILITARY IS UPHELD ON PETITION LIMITS; High Court Rejects 2 Challenges to Air Force and Navy Rules 'A Specialized Society' Supreme Court Upholds Strictures Of Petitions for Military Personnel Conflict With Federal Law 'Governmental Interest' Cited

By Linda Greenhouse Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21--The Supreme Court today upheld military regulations that require members of the armed services to get the permission of their commanding officers before collecting signatures on petitions of complaint to civilian officials.

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I was wondering if anything interesting on the news was going on when I was born, and decided to create this website for fun. The purpose is to show people what was going on when they were born. With this website I've found out that it was a pretty slow news day on my birthday, but I bet it would feel cool to know a historical event happened on your birthday.

The data used in this project is provided by the New York Times API. They have by far the best API I was able to find, with articles dating back to the 1950s. There weren't any other major newspapers that had an API with close to as much data. The closest was the Guardian API, but theirs only went back to the 1990s. I decided to only use articles from the New York Times because their API was by far the best. This tool works if you have a birthday after the 1950s or so.

Some important dates in history I'd recommend looking up on this website are:

  • 9/11/2001: The September 11 Attacks happened on this day, the news articles from this date provide great context to the tragedy our nation suffered and the immediate response from the American people. The headlines capture the shock, confusion, and unity that emerged in the aftermath of this devastating event.
  • 7/20/1969: The historic Apollo 11 moon landing, when humans first set foot on another celestial body. The articles from this date showcase humanity's greatest achievement in space exploration and the culmination of the space race.
  • 11/9/1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The coverage provides fascinating insights into this pivotal moment in world history and the emotions of people as decades of division came to an end.
  • 1/20/2009: Barack Obama's inauguration as the first African American President of the United States, a watershed moment in American history that represented a major milestone in the ongoing journey toward racial equality.
  • 8/15/1969: The Woodstock Music Festival began, marking a defining moment in American counterculture and music history. The coverage captures the spirit of the era and the unprecedented gathering of young people.

These historical events are just a few examples of the fascinating moments in history you can explore through this tool. Whether you're interested in your own birthday, significant historical dates, or just curious about what was making headlines on any given day, this website offers a unique window into the past through the lens of contemporary news coverage.

You can read more on our blog.