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Historical Context for January 28, 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[†]

Notable Births

1980Nick Carter, American singer-songwriter and actor[†]

Nickolas Gene Carter is an American singer, the lead vocalist of the vocal group Backstreet Boys, and an alleged rapist. As of 2015, he has released three solo albums, Now or Never, I'm Taking Off and All American, during breaks between Backstreet Boys schedules, and a collaboration with Jordan Knight titled Nick & Knight. He has made occasional television appearances and starred in his own reality shows, House of Carters and I (Heart) Nick Carter.

1980Yasuhito Endō, Japanese footballer[†]

Yasuhito Endō is a Japanese former footballer who played as a midfielder.

1980Brian Fallon, American singer-songwriter[†]

Brian Michael Fallon is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main lyricist of the rock band the Gaslight Anthem, with whom he has recorded six studio albums. He was also a member of the duo the Horrible Crowes, alongside the Gaslight Anthem's guitar technician and touring guitarist Ian Perkins. Since 2016, Fallon has released four solo albums and one EP.

1980Michael Hastings, American journalist and author (died 2013)[†]

Michael Mahon Hastings was an American journalist, author, contributing editor to Rolling Stone, and reporter for BuzzFeed. He was raised in New York, Canada, and Vermont, and he attended New York University. Hastings rose to prominence with his coverage of the Iraq War for Newsweek in the 2000s. After his fiancée Andrea Parhamovich was killed in an ambush, Hastings wrote his first book, I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story (2008), a memoir about his relationship with Parhamovich and the insurgency that took her life.

Historical Events

1980USCGC Blackthorn collides with the tanker Capricorn while leaving Tampa, Florida and capsizes, killing 23 Coast Guard crewmembers.[†]

USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) was a 180-foot (55 m) seagoing buoy tender (WLB) which sank in 1980 in a collision near the Tampa Bay Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in 23 crew member fatalities. An Iris-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota. Blackthorn's preliminary design was completed by the United States Lighthouse Service and the final design was produced by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth. On 21 May 1943 the keel was laid, she was launched on 20 July 1943 and commissioned on 27 March 1944. The original cost for the hull and machinery was $876,403.

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Headlines from January 28, 1980

IRAN OFFICIAL SAYS FREEING OF HOSTAGES DEPENDS ON THE U.S.; CITES POLICY OF EXPANSIONISM Bani-Sadr, the Apparent Winner in Election, Hints U.S. Reporters Might Return to Teheran Supports Presence of Reporters Iran Official Says Hostages' Release Is Up to the U.S. Council to Continue Ruling

By Unknown Author

TEHERAN, Iran, Jan. 27 Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, the Economic and Financial Affairs Minister who apparently has been elected President of Iran by an overwhelming majority, said today that the major responsibility for ending the crisis over the hostages being held in the American Embassy lay with the United States.

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Gold's New, Turbulent Role; Once-Stable Metal Becomes Political Gauge Nations Hoarding Supplies Gold's Turbulent Role as a Political Gauge Few Real Economic Effects Dollar Buyback Is Suggested

By Ann Crittenden

In the last few weeks, the world has witnessed an extraordinary financial turbulence. The speculative fever that has already racked real estate, commodities and the currency markets has suddenly centered on gold, the traditional refuge from monetary instability.

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Hiring of 687 for Education Board Bypassed Rules on Qualifications; No Applicants Tested Hiring of 687 for Jobs in School Administration Bypassed Rules on Qualifications Police Pensioner on Payroll Since August, an Increase Salaries Are Higher Board Acts Over His Protest

By Marcia Chambers

Nearly 700 people have been given high-paying jobs at Board of Education headquarters and in local school districts through a hiring system that bypasses Civil Service law, often requires minimal qualifications and rewards some holders of administrative jobs with educational licenses and the promise of tenure, according to school documents.

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Moslem Meeting Is Urged to Unite Against Moscow; Pakistani President Asks Collective Defense Plan Guerrillas Report Alliance Moslems Are Urged at Parley to Unite Against Soviet Two Days of Closed Sessions

By James P. Sterba Special To the New York Times

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 27 President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq of Pakistan urged Islamic nations today to unite in demanding the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. He also asked for a collective defense arrangement to ward off future invasions of Moslem nations.

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With New Budget, Due Today, McIntyre Gains as a Carter Aide; Craftsman for Cornerstone With Budget Due Today, McIntyre Gains as Carter's Aide Successor to Lance

By Steven R. Weisman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 When President Carter's Cabinet secretaries met at the White House for a preview of the Federal budget that is to be submitted to Congress tomorrow, James T. McIntyre Jr., director of the Office of Management and Budget, informed them in somber tones that Mr. Carter had decided at the last minute to cut spending by a staggering $100 billion. The secretaries stared in disbelief.

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Critics Say Ill-Advised Spending Of Oil Funds Hurts Arab Society; Critics Say Ill-Advised Use Of Funds Hurts Arab Societies Dissident's Book Is Banned A Share of the Wealth Demanded A Reliance on Western Advice

By Youssef M. Ibrahim Special To the New York Times

LONDON, Jan. 27 Economic experts on the Persian Gulf are warning increasingly that overly ambitious plans, bad advice, little experience and hurried spending in the Arab oil-producing countries have created a force that is tearing at the social fabric of these conservative Arab nations and distorting their economies.

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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.