What was going on when I was born?

Enter your birthdate to find out.

Historical Context for December 25, 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 December 25, 1980

Court Opposes Congressional Veto As Intrusion on Executive Branch; Separation of Powers RULING INVALIDATES CONGRESSIONAL VETO Ruling Is a Precedent Victory for Student

By Stuart Taylor Jr. Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29--In a decision that President Carter today called "profoundly significant," a Federal appeals court has cast doubt on the constitutionality of hundreds of laws providing for Congressional vetoes of executive branch actions.

None0 words

REAGAN IS ANGERED AT TEHERAN'S STAND IN HOSTAGE IMPASSE; CAPTORS CALLED 'CRIMINALS' President-Elect Also Comments on Long Captivity--Carter Says Ransom Will Not Be Paid Some Options for Reagan Formal Response Awaited Reagan Angered Over Demands By Teheran in Hostage Impasse Carter Rules Out Ransom

By Steven R. Weisman Special To the New York Times

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24--Presidentelect Ronald Reagan, breaking his silence on the most recent negotiations with Iran, said today that he had been angered at the new demands from those holding the American hostages in Iran and called the Iranian captors "nothing better than criminals and kidnappers."

None0 words

Burns and Carter Oppose Proposal To Declare Economic Emergency; CREDIT MARKETS Buyers Offset Profit Taking Bond Buyer Indexes Down Key Rates

By Steven Rattner Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24--Arthur F. Burns, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and an adviser to President-elect Ronald Reagan, said today that it would be "unwise" for Mr. Reagan to declare an economic emergency, as some of the incoming President's aides have urged him to do.

None0 words

U.S. HOSTAGES FACE 2D BLEAK CHRISTMAS; Teheran Leaders Seem Undecided on a Response to U.S. Rebuff Hostages Face 2d Bleak Christmas As Iranians Ponder Rebuff by U.S. Another Bleak Christmas Signs of Internal Unrest Growing Mayor of Teheran Resigns

By John Kifner Special To the New York Times

TEHERAN, Iran, Dec. 24--The 52 American hostages prepared tonight to spend their second Christmas in captivity here as Iran's leaders appeared undecided on how to respond to Washington's rebuff of their proposal that the hostages be exchanged for $24 billion in "guarantees."

None0 words

South St. Seaport Gets Key Grant; City Given $20 Million for South St. Seaport Project 'Project May Be Dead'

By Clyde Haberman

The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved a long-sought $20.45 million grant to New York City that clears the way for a complex of new shops and pedestrian malls to be built at the South Street Seaport.

None0 words

Article 1 -- No Title

By Unknown Author

None0 words

Stewart Suspends Ruling by Lower Court Calling for Count Adjustment; Called Unnecessary by Bureau Justice Lets Count by Census Bureau Stand in Detroit Judges' Authority Questioned

By Linda Greenhouse Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24--Associate Justice Potter Stewart of the Supreme Court today temporarily suspended a decision by a Federal judge in Detroit that would have prevented the Census Bureau from certifying the totals of the 1980 census.

None0 words

Analysis Shows a Loss of 5 House Seats--City's Decline Put at 11.1%; Deputy Mayor Is Skeptical 4.2% Decline in State's Population And 11.1% Drop in City Reported

By Irvin Molotsky Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24--The Census Bureau today put New York State's population in 1980 at 17,476,798, a decrease of 4.2 percent from the 18,241,391 recorded in the 1970 census.

None0 words

Tis the Season When Bonn, Where Casanova Frolicked, Primly Hibernates; The Talk of Bonn

By John Vinocur Special To the New York Times

BONN, Dec. 24--Scott and Zelda would have had their problems here. Bonn offers little romance, few parties, a premium on solemnity, and considerable discomfort with passion of any kind.

None0 words

Traveler to East Berlin Finds Police Check Tight; Trains From an Earlier Era Arrival at Friedrichstrasse Good Humor Seems to Prevail

By Malcolm W. Browne Special To the New York Times

WEST BERLIN, Dec. 23--The flow of Christmas travelers between East and West Berlin--old ones with shabby suitcases going west and young ones with gift packages going east--seems more poignant than festive.

None0 words

Begin Wins a Vote in Parliament On Decision Not to Annex Golan

By Unknown Author

JERUSALEM, Dec. 24 (AP)--The Government of Prime Minister Menachem Begin soundly defeated a noconfidence vote in Parliament today over its decision against annexing the occupied Golan Heights.

None0 words

Holiday Tinsel Reflects Despair on South Lebanon Border; Burdens for Merchants Depressed and Helpless Help From California

By Henry Kamm Special To the New York Times

MERJ 'UYUN, Lebanon, Dec. 22-- This jittery capital of "Free South Lebanon," the strip along the Israeli border dominated by the troops of Maj. Saad Haddad, is hanging Christmas tinsel across its streets and decking its battered houses in twigs of pine.

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.

Historical Context for December 25, 1980

Headlines from December 25, 1980

Court Opposes Congressional Veto As Intrusion on Executive Branch; Separation of Powers RULING INVALIDATES CONGRESSIONAL VETO Ruling Is a Precedent Victory for Student

REAGAN IS ANGERED AT TEHERAN'S STAND IN HOSTAGE IMPASSE; CAPTORS CALLED 'CRIMINALS' President-Elect Also Comments on Long Captivity--Carter Says Ransom Will Not Be Paid Some Options for Reagan Formal Response Awaited Reagan Angered Over Demands By Teheran in Hostage Impasse Carter Rules Out Ransom

Burns and Carter Oppose Proposal To Declare Economic Emergency; CREDIT MARKETS Buyers Offset Profit Taking Bond Buyer Indexes Down Key Rates

U.S. HOSTAGES FACE 2D BLEAK CHRISTMAS; Teheran Leaders Seem Undecided on a Response to U.S. Rebuff Hostages Face 2d Bleak Christmas As Iranians Ponder Rebuff by U.S. Another Bleak Christmas Signs of Internal Unrest Growing Mayor of Teheran Resigns

South St. Seaport Gets Key Grant; City Given $20 Million for South St. Seaport Project 'Project May Be Dead'

Article 1 -- No Title

Stewart Suspends Ruling by Lower Court Calling for Count Adjustment; Called Unnecessary by Bureau Justice Lets Count by Census Bureau Stand in Detroit Judges' Authority Questioned

Analysis Shows a Loss of 5 House Seats--City's Decline Put at 11.1%; Deputy Mayor Is Skeptical 4.2% Decline in State's Population And 11.1% Drop in City Reported

Tis the Season When Bonn, Where Casanova Frolicked, Primly Hibernates; The Talk of Bonn

Traveler to East Berlin Finds Police Check Tight; Trains From an Earlier Era Arrival at Friedrichstrasse Good Humor Seems to Prevail

Begin Wins a Vote in Parliament On Decision Not to Annex Golan

Holiday Tinsel Reflects Despair on South Lebanon Border; Burdens for Merchants Depressed and Helpless Help From California

About This Project