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Historical Context for February 17, 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

1980Al Harrington, American basketball player[†]

Albert Harrington is an American former professional basketball player. Selected with the 25th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, Harrington played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. He also spent a short stint with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

1980Jason Ritter, American actor[†]

Jason Morgan Ritter is an American actor. The son of actors John Ritter and Nancy Morgan, he is known for his work in television series such as Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005), Gravity Falls (2012–2016), Another Period (2015–2018), Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (2017–2018), Raising Dion (2019–2022), and Matlock (2024–). For his portrayal of Mark Cyr on NBC's Parenthood (2010–2014), Ritter was nominated for the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor.

1980Klemi Saban, Israeli footballer[†]

Klemi Saban,, is a retired Israeli football defender. Saban is mostly known for playing at Maccabi Netanya, there he played 6 years, captained the club and won over 200 caps in all club competitions.

Historical Events

1980First winter ascent of Mount Everest by Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy.[†]

Mount Everest, known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at its summit. Its height was most recently measured in 2020 by Chinese and Nepali authorities as 8,848.86 m.

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Headlines from February 17, 1980

F.B.I. COVER-UP SEEN IN 60'S KLAN ATTACKS; Justice Dept. Study Finds Agents Ignored Violence by Informer Study Concludes F.B.I. Agents Covered Up Informer's Role in 60's Klan Attacks Seven-Month Delay Veto on Klan Violence Different Accounts of Slaying Freedom Rider Incident Street Fight With Blacks Messages to Director F.B.I. Inaction Criticized Findings on Alleged Killing

By Howell Raines Special To the New York Times

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation knew about and apparently covered up involvement in violent attacks on blacks, civil rights activists and journalists by its ...

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On the Edge; For Bani-Sadr, Hostage Crisis Diverts From Islamic Goals Getting Back to the Revolution An Academic Infighter

By John Kifner

BEIRUT, Lebanon--When Abolhassan Bani-Sadr moved into his office as revolutionary Iran's Finance Minister, he installed an unusual piece of professional equipment--a system of microfilmed cards that crossindexed any possible economic situation with a relevant passage in the Koran. His pet project, the system was designed to enable him to guide and develop the economy along Islamic lines.

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Speed Skater Captures 5,000-Meter Competition; 33 Seconds a Lap 'No More Power' Heiden Wins a Second Gold Building Confidence

By Neil Amdur Special To the New York Times

LAKE PLACID, N.Y., Feb. 16--Yesterday, it was a duel in the sun. Today, Eric Heiden won his second speed skating gold medal of the XIII Olympic Winter Games in a snow-filled game of "Beat the Clock." The victory made it two down and three to go for Heiden in his quest for a record five individual gold medals.

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Lilco Supplier Gets Uranium Permits; Lilco Supplier Gets Uranium Permits

By Dede Feldman

SANTA FE, N.M. AFTER more than a year of political controversy and scientitic dispute among state officials, environmentalists and Indian tribes, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division has granted the Long Island Lighting Company's New Mexico uranium supplier both a ground-water discharge permit and a radioactive-mill license.

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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.