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Historical Context for July 3, 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

1980Mazharul Haque, Bangladeshi cricketer (died 2013)[†]

Mohammad Mazharul Haque Chowdhuri was a Bangladeshi cricketer who played in one One Day International in 2002. He was born in Narayanganj, Dhaka.

1980Olivia Munn, American actress and television host[†]

Lisa Olivia Munn is an American actress. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming network G4, and on the series Attack of the Show! (2006–2010) before appearing as a recurring correspondent on the Comedy Central late night series The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from 2010 to 2011.

1980Roland Schoeman, South African swimmer[†]

Roland Mark Schoeman OIS is a South African and American former swimmer was a world record holder in multiple events, and was a member of the South African swimming team at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. He won a gold medal representing South Africa in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics and between 2000-2014 won numerous medals including seven golds in freestyle, and butterfly events at the World Championships, Pan American, and Commonwealth games.

1980Harbhajan Singh, Indian cricketer[†]

Harbhajan Singh, also known by his nickname Bhajji, is a former Indian cricketer. He later became a politician, serving as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha. He is also a film actor, a television celebrity and a cricket commentator.

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Headlines from July 3, 1980

Congress Approves $16.9 Billion In Added Appropriations for 1980; Extra Revenue Sharing Funds Congress Adds $16 Billion to '80 Budget Compromise by Conferees Rebuff by the Speaker

By Martin Tolchin Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, July 2--An unruly House and an angry Senate voted final approval tonight for $16.9 billion in supplemental appropriations for the current fiscal year after the House sharply reduced a proposal to add $528 million in foreign aid.

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CITY AND UNIFORMED WORKERS REACH PACT, AVERTING STRIKE; RAISES OVER 2 YEARS TOTAL 17%; KOCH PRAISES ACCORD Gains Exceed Other Unions' --Concern Expressed by Fiscal Monitors Mayor Praises 'Good Will' City Fiscal Monitors Concerned Uniformed Unions and City Reach Pact Transit Unions Get More Fines Uniformed Forces Earn More

By Damon Stetson

New York City and its uniformed forces reached agreement last night on a new two-year contract, averting a strike threatened for this morning by 42,000 firefighters, sanitation workers and police and corrections officers.

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Congress's Power to Give Benefits Based on Race Is Supported by 6 to 3; Only Role of Congress Addressed Awarding Benefits by Race Is Backed, 6 to 3 Program Enacted in 1977 'Privileges Based on Birth'

By Linda Greenhouse Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, July 2--The Supreme Court, in a broad endorsement of the power of Congress to require affirmative action to remedy racial discrimination, today upheld the constitutionality of a Federal public works program in which 10 percent of spending was reserved for minority contractors.

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S.E.C. Says Occidental Hid Potential Liabilities; Company Statement S.E.C. Charges Occidental Hid Potential Liabilities Failure of Disclosure

By Judith Miller Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, July 2--The Securities and Exchange Commission charged today that the Occidental Petroleum Corporation had failed to disclose hundreds of millions of dollars worth of potential liabilities stemming from its environmental practices, including the pollution of Love Canal in New York State.

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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.