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Historical Context for February 16, 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 February 16, 1980

International Committee Reprimands Lake Placid Group Over a Lapse in Protocol for Skiing Awards Ceremony; Protocol Rebuke Is Issued Apologies to Soviet Medalists More Phone Lines Installed Bus Management Overhauled

By Barbara Basler Special To the New York Times

LAKE PLACID, N.Y., Feb. 15--Lake Placid Olympic organizers received a public reprimand today from the International Olympic Committee after medalists and other delegation members from the Soviet Union failed to attend the Olympic awards ceremony last night, apparently because of a mix-up.

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IRAN SEEN AS WARY ON SETTING THE TIME TO RELEASE CAPTIVES; U.S. IS SEEKING A FIRM PLEDGE U.N. Aides Say Bani-Sadr Wants to End Crisis but Also to Avoid Clash With the Militants Ask Release of Assets Algeria Names Delegate Iran Seen as Wary on Setting Time to Free Captives

By Bernard D. Nossiter Special To the New York Times

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Feb. 15-- Iranian authorities are still reluctant to fix the time when the American hostages will be freed, and this remains the major obstacle to resolving the crisis, authoritative United Nations sources said today.

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INFLATION RISE SEEN; Consumer Cost Expected to Climb, but Food Index Declines 'Finished Goods' Index Not Problem Sectors Prices Rise By 1.6% to Retailers Sees Possible Relief

By Steven Rattner Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15--Producer prices increased 1.6 percent in January, the largest monthly gain in more than five years. The announcement fed fears in the Government and the financial community that inflationary forces were increasing rather than subsiding.

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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.