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Historical Context for February 26, 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 26, 1980

JAVITS A CANDIDATE IN SPITE OF ILLNESS; DECISION 'AGONIZING'; VIEWS 5TH-TERM RACE AS DUTY Nerve Disease Restricts Walking, Senator Says, but 'State of Nation' Persuaded Him Opposition Threatened Report on His Health Javits to Seek a Fifth Term in Senate in Spite of Illness Some Chilly Reactions Democrats Will Seek Seat Only Two Aides Knew

By Maurice Carroll

Senator Jacob K. Javits announced yesterday that he would seek a fifth term, an "agonizing decision" that he said he had reached only the night before.

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ABOUT EDUCATION Stanford Joins In Core Reform; About Education

By Fred M. Hechinger

STANFORD, CALIF. ALL eyes turned to Harvard last year when it an nounced the first major revision of its undergraduate curriculum since 1945. The news from Cambridge made it clear that the "core curriculum" a requirement that all undergraduates study certain topics had been rediscovered. And when Harvard speaks, academic people listen.

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SOVIET COMMANDER APPEARS IN CHARGE IN AFGHAN CAPITAL; STRIKES IN KABUL CONTINUING Government Is Virtually Paralyzed as Civil Servants Shun Appeal to Go Back to Their Jobs Troops Patrolling the City Soviet Army Seems to Take Reins From a Paralyzed Afghan Regime

By Unknown Author

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 25 With anti-Soviet strikes continuing, the Government of President Babrak Karmal was virtually paralyzed today, and the Soviet military commander appeared to have taken charge.

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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.