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Historical Context for January 30, 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 30, 1980

SIX U.S. DIPLOMATS, HIDDEN BY CANADA, LEAVE IRAN SAFELY; FORGED VISAS USED Help by C.I.A Reported-- Ottawa Shuts Embassy and Pulls Out Staff Canadian Employees Leave 6 American Diplomats, Hidden by Canada, Leave Iran U.S. Remained Silent Concern for Hostages Persists

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29--Six American Embassy employees, after hiding for three months in diplomatic residences in Teheran, flew out of Iran Monday posing as Canadian diplomats and carrying forged Iranian visas, American and Canadian officials said today.

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M'GUIRE SUSPENDING POLICE PATROL DUTY IN ONE-OFFICER CARS; Commissioner Moves to Head Off Walkout Prompted by Anger Over Slaying in Canarsie Regular Partner Absent McGuire Suspends Use of One-Officer Police Cars Union Long Opposed Plan Use of Radio Advocated

By Leonard Buder

Police Commissioner Robert J. McGuire yesterday halted the department's limited use of one-officer police cars until Feb.14, averting what union officials said would have been a citywide walkout by police officers.

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G.O.P. Rival, Shifting, Attack Carter Foreign Policies; G.O.P. Candidates Open Up Wide Barrage In Assailing President Over Foreign Policy Human Rights Stand

By Adam Clymer Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29--Republican Presidential candidates, now believing that they can do so without peril to their campaigns, have broken the hush induced by the taking of American hostages in Iran and have opened a broad foreign policy offensive against President Carter.

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Police Strength and Racial Mix Await Decisions in Court Battle; 'Betrayed the Earlier Efforts' Developments in the Dispute Results of Multiple Choice Test in June Strength and Racial Mix of Police Await Resolution of Court Battle Complaints About Test Listed

By Selwyn Raab

Last June the two highest officials of the Guardians Association, a group representing the city's black police officers, privately praised police officials for conducting "the first sincere minority recruitment effort in the history of the New York City Police Department."

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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.