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Historical Context for June 9, 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

1980D'banj, Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player[†]

Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, known professionally as D'banj, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, music executive, event host and television personality. He signed with American rapper Kanye West's record label GOOD Music to release his 2012 single "Oliver Twist", an uptempo dance fusion of EDM and Afrobeats for which he became best known. With record producer Don Jazzy, he co-founded the record label Mo' Hits Records. His stage name is a combination of his first name, Dapo, and his surname, Oyebanjo.

1980Mike Fontenot, American baseball player[†]

Michael Eugene Fontenot Jr. is an American former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Fontenot was commonly used at second base, shortstop, or third base during his career. He won a World Series with the Giants in 2010.

1980Udonis Haslem, American basketball player[†]

Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball executive and former player. He is the vice president of basketball development for the Miami Heat, where he spent his entire 20-year playing career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Haslem is one of only three players in NBA history to play at least 20 years with one team. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators, where he was a key member of four NCAA tournament teams. Haslem began his professional career in France with Chalon-sur-Saône and then signed with his hometown Miami Heat in 2003, leaving as the longest-tenured player in franchise history when he retired in 2023. Haslem won three NBA championships with the Heat in 2006, 2012, and 2013.

1980Lehlohonolo Seema, South African footballer[†]

Lehlohonolo Seema is a retired Mosotho footballer who played as a defender and midfielder. He began his coaching career at Bloemfontein Celtic where he was Assistant Manager in 2013. He went on to manage Black Leopards, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Chippa United, Polokwane City and Sekhukhune United in the South African Premiership.

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Headlines from June 9, 1980

Gene-Splicing Product Expected to Be Tested On Humans in a Year; GENE-SPLICING TESTS NEARING FOR PEOPLE Growth Hormone Called Effective 65,000 Pints of Blood

By Harold M. Schmeck Jr. Special To the New York Times

BETHESDA, Md. Recombinant DNA techniques, known popularly as gene-splicing, are being adapted so rapidly by industry that specialists expect the first tests in humans of potential medical products within a year, far in advance of what had often been predicted.

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OIL PRICE INCREASE IS SHARPLY DISPUTED BY MEMBERS OF OPEC; Saudi Arabia, Calling for Restraint, Predicts Conference in Algiers Will Not Reach Accord Saudis Appear to Be Isolated Three Possibilities Emerging OPEC Members Disagree on Oil Base Price

By Special to The New York Times

ALGIERS, June 8 Members of the 13nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries began gathering here today for another attempt to set a single base price for oil and to ease some of the strains in the cartel.

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Debate Over Carter's Economic Policy Intensifies; Debate Over Economic Strategy Of Administration Is Intensifying Criticism by Economists Benefit of Hindsight

By Steven Rattner Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, June 8 The unexpectedly bad news about unemployment and unexpectedly good news about inflation in the last two months has intensified the debate over the Carter Administration's continued emphasis on curbing inflation at the risk of more severe recession.

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Layoffs Spreading In Economy; Executives See More Joblessness From Recession May Unemployment at 7.8% Auto and Housing Downturn Layoffs Spread to Many Industrial Sectors Shipment Rate Declining Effects of Long-Term Inflation

By Steve Lohr

In Louisville, Ky., the General Electric Company said last week that it was laying off about 400 white-collar workers at its big Appliance Park operation. And more cuts are in the offing: 3,700 production employees are slated to be let go in July.

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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.