What was going on when I was born?

Enter your birthdate to find out.

Historical Context for October 5, 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[†]

Filter by:

Headlines from October 5, 1980

510 Flee Luxury Liner as It Burns In Gale-Force Wind in Alaska Gulf; 40 in Crew Who Stayed to Fight Fire Are Last to Leave --Copters lift Evacuees to Safety From Lifeboats Many Elderly Passengers Not Expected to Sink A SHIP OFF ALASKA AFLAME AS 470 FLEE Summer and Winter Schedules An Immediate SOS Decision to Abandon Ship Plucking People From the Boats

By Robert D. McFadden

A raging fire aboard a luxury cruise ship bound for the Orient forced 470 passengers and crew members to abandon ship in lifeboats in the stormy Gulf of Alaska early yesterday, leaving 40 crewmen on board to mount a vain fight against the flames. By day's end, however, all 510 had been rescued.

None0 words

THE LETTERS OF VIRGINIA WOOLF; Woolf

By James Atlas

"I WANT to tell you that you have given me complete happiness. No one could have done more than you have done. Please believe that. But I know that I shall never get over this: and I am wasting your life."

None0 words

Era of Experimentation in Home Mortgages Opens; Experimentation in Mortgages

By Pamela G. Hollie

SAN DIEGO--If 43 million new home buyers are to find mortgage money for their housing in the 1980's, America's financial institutions must undergo a restructuring of lending policies that will forever alter the way American homes have been financed. That is the conclusion of the National Savings and Loan League at its four-day annual meeting here.

None0 words

CONFEDERATES; Keneally Author's Query

By Jeffrey Burke

HOMAS KENEALLY, a profile Australian writer, is enjoying uncommon visibility in America this year. A movie made from his novel "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" (1972), which described racial strife in turn-of-the-century Australia, recently opened in New ...

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.