On this day

January 12, 1970

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from January 12, 1970

London Sees Vindication

By Alvin Shuster Special to The New York Times

Brit Foreign Min Stewart confident Nigeria will not engage in genocide; cites Nigerian offer to allow internatl observers to operate freely after hostilities; Brit Govt sees Biafran collapse as vindication of its entire Nigerian policy; Stewart says GB is coordinating relief efforts with those of US and relief agencies; says nearly 14,000 tons of food and med are stockpiled in Nigeria and more than 30,000 tons are in nearby countries

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Obituary of a Heroin User Who Died at 12

By Joseph Lelyveld

Article on W Vandermeer, 12-yr-old boy who died of overdose of heroin in Harlem in Dec '69; his background, rootless existence, contact with pub agencies and involvement with other addicts described; illus

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Laird Says Nixon Hopes to Phase Out School Deferments

By David E. Rosenbaum Special to The New York Times

Sec Laird says Adm will propose gradual elimination of student and occupational deferments, TV program; Defense Dept spokesman says new program would not be retroactive and would not affect men already holding deferments

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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of January 7, 1970, covering January 12, 1970.

  1. 1
    Album cover for Abbey Road by The Beatles

    Abbey Road

    The Beatles

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    13
  2. 2
    Album cover for Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin

    Led Zeppelin II

    Led Zeppelin

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  3. 3
    Album cover for Willy And The Poor Boys by Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Willy And The Poor Boys

    Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    5
  4. 4
    Album cover for Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones

    Let It Bleed

    The Rolling Stones

    Last week
    3
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    6
  5. 5
    Album cover for Tom Jones Live In Las Vegas by Tom Jones

    Tom Jones Live In Las Vegas

    Tom Jones

    Last week
    5
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    9

Notable Births

Zack de la Rocha

1970Zack de la Rocha, American singer-songwriter[†]

Zacharias Manuel de la Rocha is an American musician, rapper, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Rage Against the Machine. Through both Rage Against the Machine and his activism, de la Rocha promotes left-wing politics in opposition to corporate America, the military-industrial complex, and government oppression.

Raekwon

1970Raekwon, American rapper[†]

Corey Woods, better known by his stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success following the release of their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang , in 1993. Raekwon would subsequently pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album, entitled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995. The album received critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, as well as a staple of 1990s rap.

Historical Events

Biafra

1970Biafra capitulates, ending the Nigerian Civil War.[†]

Biafara anglicized as Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 to 1970. Its territory consisted of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria, predominantly inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. Biafra was established on 30 May 1967 by Igbo military officer and Eastern Region governor Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu under his presidency, following a series of ethnic tensions and military coups after Nigerian independence in 1960 that culminated in the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom.

Historical Context for January 12, 1970

In 1970, the world population was approximately 3,694,683,794 people[†]