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Historical Context for August 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 Deaths

1980Jacqueline Cochran, American pilot (born 1906)[†]

Jacqueline Cochran was an American pilot and business executive. She pioneered women's aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to break the sound barrier on 18 May 1953. Cochran was the wartime head of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (1943–1944), which employed about 1000 civilian American women in a non-combat role to ferry planes from factories to port cities. Cochran was later a sponsor of the Mercury 13 women astronaut program.

1980Ruby Hurley, American civil rights activist (born 1909)[†]

Ruby Hurley was an American civil rights activist. She was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and administrator for the NAACP, and was known as the "queen of civil rights".

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Headlines from August 9, 1980

STRAUSS PREDICTING SOME CARTER LOSSES ON PARTY PLATFORM; ECONOMIC POLICY IS AT ISSUE Kennedy's Aides Say President Is Flexible as a Way of Winning Loyalty on Delegate Rule Senator Is Barnstorming Poll Finds Delegates Are Loyal Strauss Predicts Carter Will Suffer Some Losses in Platform Debate Kennedy Meets With Editors

By Hedrick Smith

While still optimistic about President Carter's ultimate victory, Robert S. Strauss, the Carter campaign chairman, predicted yesterday that the President's forces would be defeated on some economic issues by Senator Edward M. Kennedy in next Tuesday's debate on the Democratic Party platform.

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One of the Problems of Littering: Why Do People Do It?; Dirty Streets In the Attack on the problem of Littering, One Question Is, Why Do People Do It? When Dirt Attracts Dirt A City of Anonymity and License An Enforcement Shortage A Potential Source of Funds Fear as a Deterrent The Contrasts of an Area Theories About the Difference A Form of Protest Many Testers, Many Theories Tests' Results and Meaning The Income Factor What Comes Naturally Some Special Programs The Individual's Importance

By Unknown Author

It happens all the time in New York City. David Markus was lighting cigarettes for himself and his brother, Steven, on Broadway near 99th street one recent afternoon. When he cupped his hands to strike a match, the cellophane wrapper from the cigarette pack dropped from his ...

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F.T.C. Accuses General Motors On Car Defects; Flaws Since '75 Cited-- Company Assails Move To Be Heard by a Judge First General Motors Is Accused by F.T.C. Specific Models Not Named

By Ernest Holsendolph Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8--The Federal Trade Commission today charged the General Motors Corporation with failing to notify automobile buyers of engine and transmission defects in more than four million vehicles manufactured by the company since 1975.

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General Says South Korea Needs 'New Leaders' and He Is Willing; Seoul Strongman Says He's Willing To Succeed Civilian in Presidency General Becomes a Public Figure Flattery for the General President Could Step Aside Washington Disavows Comment

By Henry Scott Stokes Special To the New York Times

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 8--Gen. Chon Too Hwan, the South Korean strongman, said in an interview today that South Koreans "need a new generation of leaders" and he implied that he was willing to serve as head of state in succession to the civilian President, Choi Kyu Hah.

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NIGERIA TO PENALIZE ROYAL DUTCH, MOBIL AND GULF IN DISPUTE; CONTRACT BREACHES ALLEGED Concerns to Be Told to Return Up to 182.9 Million Barrels of Oil --Move May Hurt U.S. British Operations Nationalized Nigeria to Penalize Big Oil Companies Already Glutted Market Cited Complicated Formula Used A Scathing Denunciation

By Pranay B. Gupte Special To the New York Times

LAGOS, Nigeria, Aug. 8--The Nigerian Government announced today that it would order three international oil companies--the Gulf Oil Corporation, the Mobil Oil Corporation and the Royal ...

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Columbia's Medical Chief Resigns; Ex-Associate's Data Fraud at Issue; Columbia's Medical Chairman Quits; Ex-Associate's Research Fraud Is at Issue 'Deep Differences' Cited Review of Yale Paper Findings of Auditor Rebuttal of Allegations

By Lawrence K. Altman

Dr. Philip Felig, the chief physician at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, has resigned under pressure prompted by findings that a junior researcher working with him earlier at Yale had plagiarized and falsified data.

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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.