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Historical Context for August 28, 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

1980Antony Hämäläinen, Finnish singer-songwriter[†]

Antony Hämäläinen is a Finnish extreme metal vocalist living in the United States.

1980Debra Lafave, American sex offender and former teacher[†]

Debra Jean Williams, better known under her former married name of Debra Lafave, is a former teacher at Angelo L. Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace, Florida. In 2005, she pleaded guilty to lewd or lascivious battery against a teenager. The charges stemmed from a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old student in summer of 2004 when she was 23. Lafave's plea bargain included no prison time, opting for three years of house arrest due to safety concerns, seven years of probation, and lifetime registration as a sex offender.

1980Ryan Madson, American baseball player[†]

Ryan Michael Madson is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Madson won World Series championships with the Phillies in 2008 and the Royals in 2015. He is third all-time in postseason pitching appearances, behind only Mariano Rivera and Kenley Jansen.

1980Jaakko Ojaniemi, Finnish decathlete[†]

Jaakko Ojaniemi is a Finnish former decathlete. After winning medals in junior level, he represented Finland several times in major athletics competitions.

1980Carly Pope, Canadian actress and producer[†]

Carly Pope is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles on The WB's drama series Popular (1999–2001), supernatural drama series The Collector (2004–2005), USA Network's legal drama series Suits (2016–2017) and The CW's Arrow (2016–2017).

1980Jonathan Reynolds, English lawyer and politician[†]

Jonathan Neil Reynolds is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade since July 2024. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2010.

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Headlines from August 28, 1980

Carter Tax Plan Aids Lower Brackets; Carter Tax Relief Plan Focuses on Lower Brackets Cut in Capital Gains Taxation First Proposed by Missourian 10 Percent Credit Was Proposed

By Edward Cowan Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27--The approach to tax relief that President Carter is expected to recommend to Congress tomorrow would concentrate the relief in middle-income and low-income brackets, where the Democratic Party traditionally has reaped its biggest harvest of votes, according to a Congressional analysis.

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Accord Reached In PATH Strike After 11 Weeks; Full Service Is Expected by Tuesday Morning Extra Pension Considered Satisfaction Voiced Pact Reached in PATH Strike; Full Service Expected Tuesday

By Alfonso A. Narvaez Special To the New York Times

ELIZABETH, N.J., Aug. 27-Negotiators for the Port Authority Trans-Hudson railroad and 177 striking carmen reached tentative agreement here today to end the 11-week strike that has forced 80,000 daily commuters to find other means of transportation between New Jersey and Manhattan.

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Connecticut Oil Tax Is Hitting Homeowners; Filing of Objection Weighed Rises in Oil Prices Connecticut's Oil Tax Is Hitting Homeowners and Small Dealers Decision on Gas Pending

By Matthew L. Wald Special To the New York Times

HARTFORD, Aug. 27--Connecticut's new 2 percent tax on the gross receipts of oil companies is apparently falling mainly on homeowners and small fuel dealers, and it may also be passed on to motorists soon, instead of the major oil suppliers, whose profits were the original target of the tax.

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The Debate over Javits's Health: His 5 Doctors Discuss Condition; Disclosed the Condition Himself Debate Over Javits's Health: His Five Doctors Discuss His Condition Big Campaign Topic Slow Pace of the Ailment No Sign of Senility Walking Mostly Affected Getting 'Better Balance' First Described in 1869 The Survival Rate Good Breathing Capacity

By Lawrence K. Altman

On television screens across New York State, two different views of Senator Jacob K. Javits's health are being offered in political commercials.

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STRIKERS' DELEGATES FAN OUT IN POLAND TO GATHER SUPPORT; MORE PLANT CLOSINGS LISTED Warsaw Dissidents Tell of Spread of Walkouts as Worker Teams From North Explain Aims Dissidents Continue Giving News Compromise on Union Issue Seen STRIKERS' DELEGATES FAN OUT IN POLAND Party Publishes Cardinal's Sermon Dissident Critical of Wyszynski No Buses Operating in Cracow

By John Vinocur Special To the New York Times

WARSAW, Aug. 27--Despite warnings from church and Communist leaders that Poland is in danger, the strikes spread further today as teams of workers from strike headquarters in Gdansk sought support in industrial centers around the country for their demands for independent labor unions and other changes.

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HOUSE DEFEATS PLAN TO REDUCE FUEL AID FOR POOR IN NORTH; APPEAL BY SUN BELT REJECTED Warm Areas Wanted Funds for Air Conditioning--Protection of School Prayers Is Voted 'Preventive' Plan Adopted Heat-Wave Deaths Cited House Defeats a Plan to Cut Fuel Aid to Poor in North Bilingual Instruction Curbed

By Martin Tolchin Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27--The Frost Belt prevailed over the Sun Belt in the House of Representatives today, defeating an effort to change the formula for distribution of $1.8 billion in low-income energy assistance.

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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.