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What was going on when I was born?

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Historical Context for November 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[†]

Notable Births

1980Jaime Camara, Brazilian racing driver[†]

Jaime Camara is a Brazilian race car driver, who in 2008 competed in the IndyCar Series for Conquest Racing.

1980Luke Hemsworth, Australian actor[†]

Luke Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles as Nathan Tyson in the TV series Neighbours and as Ashley Stubbs in the HBO sci-fi series Westworld. He is the older brother of actors Chris Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth.

1980Andrei Korobeinik, Estonian computer programmer, businessman and politician[†]

Andrei Korobeinik is an Estonian computer programmer and entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Rate Solutions and Serenda Invest. He is better known as creator of Estonian social networking site, Rate.ee. Between 2011 and 2013 he was a member of the Estonian parliament.

1980Christoph Metzelder, German footballer[†]

Christoph Tobias Metzelder is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

1980Orkun Uşak, Turkish footballer[†]

Orkun Usak is a Turkish football goalkeeper who currently plays for Mersin İdmanyurdu SK. He is a product of the youth system of Galatasaray. He also played for Beykozspor, Bakırköyspor, Anadolu Üsküdar, Elazığspor, Ankaragücü, Kayseri Erciyesspor, Galatasaray, Manisaspor, Konyaspor and Kardemir Karabükspor. On 1 February 2012, he joined Antalyaspor for the rest of the season.

Notable Deaths

1980Louis Alter, American musician (born 1902)[†]

Louis Alter was an American pianist, songwriter and composer. At 13, he began playing piano in theaters showing silent films. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Stuart Mason.

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Headlines from November 5, 1980

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.