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Historical Context for November 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

1980Lisa Middelhauve, German singer-songwriter[†]

Elisabeth Rodermund, known as Lisa Middelhauve is a German musician, better known as the former lead vocalist and pianist of German symphonic metal band Xandria from early 2000, until April 2008, but returned as their singer in 2010, only to finish the remaining live shows due to their second lead vocalist, Kerstin Bischof's departure.

1980Stuart Taylor, English footballer[†]

Stuart James Taylor is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Taylor began his career with Arsenal, winning the 2001–02 Premier League and 2002–03 FA Cup and representing England at under-16, under-18, under-20 and under-21 level. He was spoken of as a future replacement for Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman but after other goalkeepers were signed, he struggled to get playing time after 2003 and he joined Aston Villa in 2005.

Historical Events

1980Iran–Iraq War: Operation Morvarid: The bulk of the Iraqi Navy is destroyed by the Iranian Navy in the Persian Gulf. (Commemorated in Iran as Navy Day.)[†]

The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council Resolution 598 by both sides. Iraq's primary rationale for the attack against Iran cited the need to prevent Ruhollah Khomeini—who had spearheaded the Iranian revolution in 1979—from exporting the new Iranian ideology to Iraq. There were also fears among the Iraqi leadership of Saddam Hussein that Iran, a theocratic state with a population predominantly composed of Shia Muslims, would exploit sectarian tensions in Iraq by rallying Iraq's Shia majority against the Baʽathist government, which was officially secular but dominated by Sunni Muslims. Iraq also wished to replace Iran as the power player in the Persian Gulf, which was not seen as an achievable objective prior to the Islamic Revolution because of Pahlavi Iran's economic and military superiority as well as its close relationships with the United States and Israel.

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Headlines from November 28, 1980

Volatile Wastes Illegally Stored At Newark Site; 300 Drums Found Off Pike --City Posts Firefighters Barrels Under Guard Illegal Dumping Profitable Volatile Toxic Wastes Found Illegally Stored in Jersey

By Edward A. Gargan Special To the New York Times

NEWARK, Nov. 27--Nearly 300 barrels of poisonous, carcinogenic and slightly radioactive chemicals have been found in a rusting warehouse near Newark International Airport, Fire Department officials in Newark said today. They described the material as flammable and highly volatile.

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Work for Robots Is Picking Up; G.E. Lab Seeks Broader Roles For Machines Drive to Improve Productivity Use of Robots Broadened Through G.E. Research 'Rent-a-Robot' Plan Payback in 2 to 4 Years

By Special to The New York Times

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.--Scores of robots methodically spot-welding car frames or painting hoods cannot be found at the General Electric Company's huge turbine manufacturing center here. There is only one robot involved in production, and it moves hot slugs of metal in a forging operation.

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POLISH CRISIS EASES AS REGIME AND UNION AGREE ON NEW TALKS; But Tension Persists as Workers Press Demand--East German and Czech Plan Meeting Meeting With Deputy Premier Army Paper Issues Warning POLISH CRISIS EASES WITH TALKS ACCORD 'Strike Alert' in Factories Confusion and Rumors Charges Could Be Put Aside

By John Darnton Special To the New York Times

WARSAW, Friday, Nov. 28--As East Germany and Czechoslovakia issued harsh denunciations of developments in Poland, the Government and the independent trade union branch in Warsaw set a date for talks on a series of union demands that have brought the country, once again, to the brink of major disruption.

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Off Broadway: A Roundup Of the Best This Season; A Roundup of Off Broadway's Best Plays The 60's Come of Age Low-Key Family Drama

By Frank Rich

IN its earlier, more exotic days, Off Broadway theater was the subject of one of the funniest sketches ever seen on a television variety show. Phil Silvers, on temporary furlough from "You'll Never Get Rich," played a fancy-pants Broadway critic who had decided to review his first Off Broadway play. Dressed in black tie and accompanied by his bejeweled wife (Nanette Fabray? Nancy Walker?), Mr. Silvers ...

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U.S. MAY DROP CASE OF EX-HEAD OF F.B.I.; Justice Dept. Calls Evidence Weak on Link of Gray to Break-Ins U.S. May Drop Case Against Gray No Recollection of Remarks Acting Director After Hoover

By Robert Pear Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27--Justice Department officials said today it was likely that the Government would drop a criminal conspiracy charge against L. Patrick Gray 3d, former Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who has been accused of authorizing agents to break into homes without search warrants in 1972 and 1973.

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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.