What was going on when I was born?

Enter your birthdate to find out.

Historical Context for April 12, 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

1980Sara Head, Welsh Paralympic table tennis champion[†]

Sara Head is a Welsh Paralympic table tennis player. Head has represented Wales at two Commonwealth Games and was selected for the 2012 Paralympic Games, where she took the bronze medal in the women's team class 1–3 event with team-mate Jane Campbell.

1980Brian McFadden, Irish singer-songwriter[†]

Brian Nicholas McFadden is an Irish pop singer and television presenter. He rose to fame in 1998 as a member of the Irish boy band Westlife. Following his departure from the group in 2004, McFadden released his debut solo album, Irish Son. He has since released four studio albums: Set in Stone (2008), Wall of Soundz (2010), The Irish Connection (2013), and Otis (2019). In 2016 Brian teamed up with Keith Duffy of Boyzone to form Boyzlife and currently have two albums to date "Strings Attached" (2020) and "Old School" (2022)

Notable Deaths

1980William R. Tolbert, Jr., Liberian politician, 20th President of Liberia (born 1913)[†]

William Richard Tolbert Jr. was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until his assassination in 1980.

Historical Events

1980The Americo-Liberian government of Liberia is violently deposed.[†]

The 1980 Liberian coup d'état happened on April 12, 1980, when President William Tolbert of Liberia was overthrown and murdered in a violent coup. The coup was staged by an indigenous Liberian faction of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) under the command of Master Sergeant Samuel Doe. Following a period of transition, Doe ruled Liberia throughout the 1980s, until his murder in 1990 during the First Liberian Civil War.

1980Transbrasil Flight 303, a Boeing 727, crashes on approach to Hercílio Luz International Airport in Florianópolis, Brazil. Fifty-five out of the 58 people on board are killed.[†]

Transbrasil Flight 303 was a flight from Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, to Hercílio Luz International Airport in Florianópolis, Brazil, on 12 April 1980. It crashed on approach to Hercílio Luz International Airport. Only 3 of the 58 people on board survived.

1980Canadian runner and athlete, Terry Fox begins his Marathon of Hope Run in St. John's, NF[†]

Terrance Stanley Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, having had one leg amputated due to cancer, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over C$900 million has been raised in his name through the Terry Fox Research Institute as of September 2024.

Filter by:

Headlines from April 12, 1980

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK OUTLAWED; New Federal Rules Term Practice a Violation of Civil Rights Law U.S. Prohibits Sexual Harassment Of Workers as Violation of Rights Few Court Precedents Voluntary Compliance Urged

By Robert Pear Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, April 11 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published regulations today explicitly forbidding sexual harassment of employees by their supervisors, whether in government or in private business.

None0 words

MAIL VOTE IS PLANNED; Koch Objects to 20% Raise in Contract L.I.R.R. Pact Is Announced Subways and Buses Running Attempt to Save Fare T.W.U. Leader Orders End To Strike After Board Splits What the Pact Includes Vote by M.T.A. Board PATH Walkout Postponed

By Damon Stetson

Leaders of New York City's transit unions reached a tentative agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last night and ordered 33,000 striking bus and subway workers back to work, ending an 11-day walkout.

None0 words

Iran's Islamic Fervor Leaves Soviet Moslems Cool; Islamic Upheaval in Iran Evokes Cool Reactions From Moslems in Soviet 200 Mosques in Central Asia A Question of Alcohol Wine and Vodka Flow Freely Religious Role Said to Decline 'We're Not Crazy Fanatics'

By Craig R. Whitney Special To the New York Times

BUKHARA, U.S.S.R. In Soviet Central Asia, where 30 million people of Moslem background were counted in the January census, people seem about as puzzled as the rest of the Soviet Union by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his Islamic revolution in neighboring Iran.

None0 words

U.S. ADDING PRESSURE ON ALLIES TO FORCE IRANIANS' ISOLATION; Reacting to the Common Market's Decision, the State Dept. Asks for 'More Than Rhetoric' 'Obvious Deep Concern' U.S. Is Pressing Its Allies on Iran

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, April 11--The United States, dissatisfied with the reaction of its allies, said today that it expected "more than rhetoric" in support of the American policy of trying to isolate Iran politically and economically.

None0 words

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.