What was going on when I was born?

Enter your birthdate to find out.

Historical Context for December 31, 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

1980Jesse Carlson, American baseball player[†]

Jesse Craig Carlson is an American former professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.

1980Matt Cross, American wrestler[†]

Matthew Capiccioni is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names M-Dogg 20, Matt Cross and Son of Havoc. He currently competes on the independent circuit, most notably Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) where he is the JCW Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. Cross has also worked for prominent promotions such as Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground, Chikara and the short-lived Wrestling Society X. His main gimmick is that of an adherent of the straight edge lifestyle, a culture which he follows in real life. In 2011, Capiccioni joined the cast of the fifth season of WWE Tough Enough.

1980Richie McCaw, New Zealand rugby player[†]

Richard Hugh McCaw is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award a joint record three times and was the most capped test rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020. McCaw was awarded World Rugby player of the decade (2011–2020) in 2021. McCaw is also a winner of the New Zealand sportsman of the decade award.

1980Carsten Schlangen, German runner[†]

Carsten Schlangen is a German middle distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres.

Notable Deaths

1980Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher and theorist (born 1911)[†]

Herbert Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian philosopher whose work is among the cornerstones of the study of media theory. Raised in Winnipeg, McLuhan studied at the University of Manitoba and the University of Cambridge. He began his teaching career as a professor of English at several universities in the United States and Canada before moving to the University of Toronto in 1946, where he remained for the rest of his life. He is known as the "father of media studies".

1980Raoul Walsh, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1887)[†]

Raoul Walsh was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent cinema actor George Walsh. He was known for portraying John Wilkes Booth in the silent film The Birth of a Nation (1915) and for directing such films as the widescreen epic The Big Trail (1930) starring John Wayne in his first leading role, The Roaring Twenties starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, High Sierra (1941) starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, and White Heat (1949) starring James Cagney and Edmond O'Brien. He directed his last film in 1964. His work has been noted as influences on directors such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Jack Hill, and Martin Scorsese.

Filter by:

Headlines from December 31, 1980

Hostage Deal: Gap Is Narrow; Terms Seem Agreed On But Timing Is Still Snag News Analysis Iranians Appear Eager for Solution Deal for Hostages' Release: U.S.-Iranian Gap Narrowing U.S. Appears to Accept Terms Iranians Deeply Distrustful Premier Suggests Arbitration

By John Kifner Special To the New York Times

TEHERAN, Iran, Dec. 30--Iran and the United States appear to have reached a general agreement on the conditions for the release of the 52 American hostages ...

None0 words

Fire Volunteers Coping With Stamford Growth; Stamford Fire Volunteers Survive and Cope With Growth of City Some Topics of Study Full Time at City's Core The Increasing Demands

By Diane Henry Special To the New York Times

STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 30--Like volunteer fire departments in some other suburban communities, the one called Turn of the River--58 volunteers, augmented by 10 paid firefighters--has endured and survived this city's growth from a quiet bedroom community to a thriving corporate center.

None0 words

IN 'REFORMULATION,' U.S. OFFERS 5 BILLION IF HOSTAGES GO FREE; FUNDS ARE IN FROZEN ASSETS Algerians Get Plan--Officials Say It Would Let Iran End Crisis While Carter Is in Office Difference From Last Plan Outlook for Hostages Is Unclear U.S. Offers $5 Billion of Iran's Assets for the Hostages Reagan Gets Daily Reports

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30--The United States today gave the Algerian intermediaries a "reformulation" of the American proposals for freeing the hostages in Iran that it said gave Iran an opportunity to end the crisis soon.

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.