On This Day in History — January 28

Highlights of January 28

• 1986 — The Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its tenth mission (video featured), killing all seven crew members. Read more
• 1984 — Tropical Storm Domoina made landfall in southern Mozambique, causing some of the most severe flooding recorded in the region. Read more
• 1981 — U.S. president Ronald Reagan lifted price controls from petroleum products, contributing to the 1980s oil glut. Read more
• 1964 — Three U.S. Air Force pilots aboard an unarmed T-39 Sabreliner were killed when the aircraft was shot down over Erfurt, East Germany, by a Soviet MiG-19. Read more
• 1961 — In Gitarama, Rwanda, local and other government officials initiated a coup to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic. Read more
• 1958 — The Lego Group, a Danish toy company, filed a patent in Denmark for the design of Lego bricks. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: About three hours after Thai bombers raided Sisophon, a ceasefire paused hostilities in the Franco-Thai War. Read more
• 1933 — Choudhry Rahmat Ali published a pamphlet in which he called for the creation of a Muslim state in north-western India that he termed "Pakstan". Read more
• 1922 — The largest recorded snowstorm in the history of Washington, D.C., collapsed the Knickerbocker Theatre (damage pictured), killing 98 people. Read more
• 1916 — The province of Manitoba passed a law that first granted some Canadian women the right to vote. Read more
• 1754 — The word serendipity, derived from the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, was coined by Horace Walpole (pictured) in a letter to a friend. Read more
• 1671 — Anglo-Spanish War: In pursuit of retreating Spanish troops, English soldiers sacked the city of Panama. Read more
• 1568 — Delegates of the Three Nations of Transylvania adopted the Edict of Torda, allowing local communities to elect their preachers freely, in an unprecedented act of religious tolerance. Read more
• 1547 — Nine-year-old Edward VI, the first English monarch to be raised as a Protestant, became king. Read more
• 1521 — Charles V and the estates of the Holy Roman Empire met at the Diet of Worms to discuss Martin Luther and the effects of the Protestant Reformation. Read more
• 1393 — King Charles VI of France (pictured) was nearly killed when several other dancers' costumes caught fire during a masquerade ball in Paris. Read more
• 1069 — Robert de Comines, Earl of Northumbria, was killed in Durham, causing William the Conqueror to embark on a campaign to subjugate northern England. Read more

Events

• 2026 — A Learjet 45 crashes on approach to Baramati Airport in Maharashtra, killing all six occupants including the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar. Read more
• 2026 — The Rubaya mine collapse at Rubaya mines in DR Congo causes at least 400 deaths and injured several others. Read more
• 2026 — Storm Kristin causes a catastrophic impact in Portugal and Spain with €6 billion in damage in the central region of Portugal, 15 deaths and 2,000 injuries. Read more
• 2023 — Protests begin in the United States after police beat and kill Tyre Nichols. Read more
• 2021 — A nitrogen leak at a poultry food processing facility in Gainesville, Georgia kills six and injures at least ten. Read more
• 2006 — The roof of one of the buildings at the Katowice International Fair in Poland collapses due to the weight of snow, killing 65 and injuring more than 170 others. Read more
• 2002 — TAME Flight 120, a Boeing 727-100, crashes in the Andes mountains in southern Colombia, killing 94. Read more
• 1988 — In R v Morgentaler the Supreme Court of Canada strikes down all anti-abortion laws. Read more
• 1986 — Space Shuttle program: STS-51-L mission: Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts on board. Read more
• 1985 — Supergroup USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa) records the hit single We Are the World, to help raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief. Read more
• 1984 — Tropical Storm Domoina makes landfall in southern Mozambique, eventually causing 214 deaths and some of the most severe flooding so far recorded in the region. Read more
• 1982 — US Army General James L. Dozier is rescued by Italian anti-terrorism forces from captivity by the Red Brigades. Read more
• 1981 — Ronald Reagan lifts remaining domestic petroleum price and allocation controls in the United States, helping to end the 1979 energy crisis and begin the 1980s oil glut. Read more
• 1980 — USCGC Blackthorn collides with the tanker Capricorn while leaving Tampa, Florida and capsizes, killing 23 Coast Guard crewmembers. Read more
• 1977 — The first day of the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977, which dumps 3 metres (10 ft) of snow in one day in Upstate New York. Buffalo, Syracuse, Watertown, and surrounding areas are most affected. Read more
• 1977 — The Shining, the horror novel and the first hardcover bestseller by Stephen King, is published. Read more
• 1965 — The current design of the Flag of Canada is chosen by an act of Parliament. Read more
• 1964 — An unarmed United States Air Force T-39 Sabreliner on a training mission is shot down over Erfurt, East Germany, by a Soviet MiG-19. Read more
• 1960 — The National Football League announces expansion teams for Dallas to start in the 1960 NFL season and Minneapolis-St. Paul for the 1961 NFL season. Read more
• 1958 — The Lego company patents the design of its Lego bricks, still compatible with bricks produced today. Read more
• 1956 — Elvis Presley makes his first national television appearance. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: Supplies begin to reach the Republic of China over the newly reopened Burma Road. Read more
• 1941 — Franco-Thai War: Final air battle of the conflict. A Japanese-mediated armistice goes into effect later in the day. Read more
• 1938 — The World Land Speed Record on a public road is broken by Rudolf Caracciola in the Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen at a speed of 432.7 kilometres per hour (268.9 mph). Read more
• 1935 — Iceland becomes the first Western country to legalize therapeutic abortion. Read more
• 1933 — The name Pakistan is coined by Choudhry Rahmat Ali Khan and is accepted by Indian Muslims who then thereby adopted it further for the Pakistan Movement seeking independence. Read more
• 1932 — Japanese forces attack Shanghai. Read more
• 1922 — Knickerbocker Storm: Washington, D.C.'s biggest snowfall, causes a disaster when the roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre collapses, killing over 100 people. Read more
• 1920 — Foundation of the Spanish Legion. Read more
• 1919 — The Order of the White Rose of Finland is established by Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, the regent of Finland. Read more
• 1918 — Finnish Civil War: The Red Guard rebels seize control of the capital, Helsinki; members of the Senate of Finland go underground. Read more
• 1916 — The Canadian province of Manitoba grants women the right to vote and run for office in provincial elections (although still excluding women of Indigenous or Asian heritage), marking the first time women in Canada are granted voting rights. Read more
• 1915 — An act of the U.S. Congress creates the United States Coast Guard as a branch of the United States Armed Forces. Read more
• 1909 — United States troops leave Cuba, with the exception of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, after being there since the Spanish–American War. Read more
• 1908 — Members of the Portuguese Republican Party fail in their attempted coup d'état against the administrative dictatorship of Prime Minister João Franco. Read more
• 1902 — The Carnegie Institution of Washington is founded in Washington, D.C., with a $10 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. Read more
• 1896 — Walter Arnold of East Peckham, Kent, becomes the first person to be convicted of speeding. He was fined one shilling, plus costs, for speeding at 8 mph (13 km/h), thereby exceeding the contemporary speed limit of 2 mph (3.2 km/h). Read more
• 1878 — Yale Daily News becomes the first independent daily college newspaper in the United States. Read more
• 1871 — Franco-Prussian War: The Siege of Paris ends in French defeat and an armistice. Read more
• 1855 — A locomotive on the Panama Canal Railway runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Read more
• 1851 — Northwestern University becomes the first chartered university in Illinois. Read more
• 1846 — The Battle of Aliwal, India, is won by British troops commanded by Sir Harry Smith. Read more
• 1813 — Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is first published in the United Kingdom. Read more
• 1754 — Sir Horace Walpole coins the word serendipity in a letter to a friend. Read more
• 1724 — The Russian Academy of Sciences is founded in St. Petersburg, Russia, by Peter the Great, and implemented by Senate decree. It is called the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences until 1917. Read more
• 1671 — Original city of Panama (founded in 1519) is destroyed by a fire when privateer Henry Morgan sacks and sets fire to it. The site of the previously devastated city is still in ruins (see Panama Viejo). Read more
• 1624 — Sir Thomas Warner founds the first British colony in the Caribbean, on the island of Saint Kitts. Read more
• 1591 — Execution of Agnes Sampson, accused of witchcraft in Edinburgh. Read more
• 1573 — Articles of the Warsaw Confederation are signed, sanctioning freedom of religion in Poland. Read more
• 1568 — The Edict of Torda prohibits the persecution of individuals on religious grounds in John Sigismund Zápolya's Eastern Hungarian Kingdom. Read more
• 1547 — Edward VI, the nine-year-old son of Henry VIII, becomes King of England on his father's death. Read more
• 1521 — The Diet of Worms begins, lasting until May 25. Read more
• 1393 — King Charles VI of France is nearly killed when several other dancers' costumes catch fire during a masquerade ball in Paris. Read more
• 1077 — Walk to Canossa: The excommunication of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, is lifted after he humbles himself before Pope Gregory VII at Canossa in Italy. Read more
• 1069 — Robert de Comines, appointed Earl of Northumbria by William the Conqueror, rides into Durham, England, where he is defeated and killed by rebels. This incident leads to the Harrying of the North. Read more
• 814 — The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accession of his son Louis the Pious as ruler of the Frankish Empire. Read more
• 98 — On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany. Read more

Born on January 28

• 2007 — That Girl Lay Lay, American rapper Read more
• 2006 — Beckett Sennecke, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 2004 — Emoni Bates, American basketball player Read more
• 2004 — Liam Öhgren, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 2003 — Whitney Peak, Ugandan-Canadian actress Read more
• 2003 — Carson Hocevar, American professional stock car racing driver Read more
• 2002 — Tabyana Ali, American actress and author Read more
• 2002 — Yoo Seon-ho, South Korean actor Read more
• 2000 — Abel Ruiz, Spanish footballer Read more
• 2000 — Dušan Vlahović, Serbian footballer Read more
• 1998 — Payton Pritchard, American basketball player Read more
• 1998 — Ariel Winter, American actress Read more
• 1995 — Mimi-Isabella Cesar, British rhythmic gymnast Read more
• 1994 — Joel Bolomboy, Russian-American basketball player Read more
• 1994 — Lin Zhu, Chinese tennis player Read more
• 1994 — Maluma, Colombian singer-songwriter, rapper, and actor Read more
• 1993 — Will Poulter, English actor Read more
• 1993 — Alan Williams, American basketball player Read more
• 1992 — Sergio Araujo, Argentinian footballer Read more
• 1991 — Carl Klingberg, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 1991 — Calum Worthy, Canadian actor Read more
• 1989 — Siem de Jong, Dutch footballer Read more
• 1988 — Paul Henry, English footballer Read more
• 1988 — Alexandra Krosney, American actress Read more
• 1988 — Sanada, Japanese wrestler Read more
• 1986 — Jessica Ennis-Hill, English heptathlete and hurdler Read more
• 1986 — Nathan Outteridge, Australian sailor Read more
• 1986 — Asad Shafiq, Pakistani cricketer Read more
• 1985 — Daniel Carcillo, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1985 — J. Cole, American rapper Read more
• 1985 — Lauris Dārziņš, Latvian ice hockey player Read more
• 1985 — Tom Hopper, English actor Read more
• 1985 — Arnold Mvuemba, French footballer Read more
• 1985 — Libby Trickett, Australian swimmer Read more
• 1984 — Ben Clucas, English race car driver Read more
• 1984 — Stephen Gostkowski, American football player Read more
• 1984 — Andre Iguodala, American basketball player Read more
• 1984 — Anne Panter, English field hockey player Read more
• 1982 — Chad Aull, American politician Read more
• 1982 — Omar Cook, American-Montenegrin basketball player and coach Read more

Died on January 28

• 2026 — Ajit Pawar, Indian politician, former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (born 1959) Read more
• 2021 — Cicely Tyson, American actress (born 1924) Read more
• 2019 — Pepe Smith, Filipino rock musician (born 1947) Read more
• 2017 — Alexander Chancellor, British journalist (born 1940) Read more
• 2017 — Geoff Nicholls, British musician (born 1948) Read more
• 2016 — Signe Toly Anderson, American singer (born 1941) Read more
• 2016 — Paul Kantner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1941) Read more
• 2016 — Franklin Gene Bissell, American football player and coach (born 1926) Read more
• 2016 — Buddy Cianci, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Mayor of Providence (born 1941) Read more
• 2016 — Bob Tizard, New Zealand lawyer and politician, 6th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1924) Read more
• 2015 — Suraj Abdurrahman, Nigerian general, architect, and engineer (born 1954) Read more
• 2015 — Yves Chauvin, French chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1930) Read more
• 2015 — Lionel Gilbert, Australian historian, author, and academic (born 1924) Read more
• 2014 — John Cacavas, American composer and conductor (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Harry Gamble, American football player, coach, and manager (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Dwight Gustafson, American composer and conductor (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Nigel Jenkins, Welsh poet, journalist, and geographer (born 1949) Read more
• 2014 — Jorge Obeid, Argentinian engineer and politician, Governor of Santa Fe (born 1947) Read more
• 2013 — Florentino Fernández, Cuban-American boxer and coach (born 1936) Read more
• 2013 — Hattie N. Harrison, American educator and politician (born 1928) Read more
• 2013 — Oldřich Kulhánek, Czech painter, illustrator, and stage designer (born 1940) Read more
• 2012 — Roman Juszkiewicz, Polish astronomer and astrophysicist (born 1952) Read more
• 2012 — Don Starkell, Canadian adventurer and author (born 1932) Read more
• 2009 — Werner Flume, German jurist (born 1908) Read more
• 2009 — Billy Powell, American keyboard player and songwriter (born 1952) Read more
• 2007 — Carlo Clerici, Swiss cyclist (born 1929) Read more
• 2007 — Robert Drinan, American priest, lawyer, and politician (born 1920) Read more
• 2007 — Yelena Romanova, Russian runner (born 1963) Read more
• 2007 — Karel Svoboda, Czech composer (born 1938) Read more
• 2005 — Jim Capaldi, English singer-songwriter and drummer (born 1944) Read more
• 2004 — Lloyd M. Bucher, American captain (born 1927) Read more
• 2003 — Mieke Pullen, Dutch runner (born 1957) Read more
• 2002 — Gustaaf Deloor, Belgian cyclist and soldier (born 1913) Read more
• 2002 — Astrid Lindgren, Swedish author and screenwriter (born 1907) Read more
• 2002 — Ayşe Nur Zarakolu, Turkish author and activist (born 1946) Read more
• 2001 — Ranko Marinković, Croatian author and playwright (born 1913) Read more
• 1999 — Valery Gavrilin, Russian composer (born 1939) Read more
• 1998 — Shotaro Ishinomori, Japanese author and illustrator (born 1938) Read more
• 1996 — Joseph Brodsky, Russian-American poet and essayist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1940) Read more
• 1996 — Burne Hogarth, American cartoonist and author (born 1911) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Joseph Freinademetz; Christian feast day: Julian of Cuenca; Christian feast day: Thomas Aquinas; Christian feast day: January 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Army Day (Armenia); Data Privacy Day

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