On This Day in History — October 28

Highlights of October 28

• 2013 — The first terrorist attack in Beijing's recent history took place when members of the Turkistan Islamic Party drove a vehicle into a crowd, killing five people and injuring thirty-eight others. Read more
• 2007 — In the Argentine general election, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner became the first woman to be elected president of Argentina. Read more
• 1992 — Hans-Adam II threatened to dismiss the Landtag of Liechtenstein over disagreements on the date of a referendum for the country's accession to the EEA. Read more
• 1971 — Prospero (flight spare pictured), the first British satellite launched on a British rocket, lifted off from Launch Area 5B in Woomera, South Australia. Read more
• 1965 — In St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., the 630-foot (190 m)-tall steel catenary Gateway Arch was completed. Read more
• 1940 — World War II: Italy invaded Greece after Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas rejected Benito Mussolini's ultimatum demanding the cession of Greek territory. Read more
• 1928 — Indonesian composer Wage Rudolf Supratman introduced "Indonesia Raya", now the country's national anthem. Read more
• 1925 — The funerary mask of Tutankhamun, possibly originally made for Queen Neferneferuaten, was uncovered for the first time in approximately 3,250 years. Read more
• 1919 — The U.S. Congress passed the Volstead Act over president Woodrow Wilson's veto, reinforcing Prohibition in the United States. Read more
• 1886 — In New York Harbor, U.S. president Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty (pictured), a gift from France commemorating the Declaration of Independence. Read more
• 1835 — In the first major engagement of the Texas Revolution, the Texian Army repelled a Mexican attack at the grounds of Mission Concepcion south of Downtown San Antonio. Read more
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: As George Washington's Continental Army retreated northward from New York City, the British Army captured the village of White Plains. Read more
• 1707 — The Hōei earthquake ruptured all segments of the Nankai megathrust simultaneously – the only earthquake recorded to have done so. Read more
• 1664 — The Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, the forerunner to the Royal Marines, was established at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in London. Read more
• 1640 — The Treaty of Ripon was agreed, ending the Second Bishops' War and forcing Charles I to summon the Long Parliament, ultimately leading to the First English Civil War. Read more
• 1453 — Ladislaus the Posthumous was crowned King of Bohemia, although George of Poděbrady remained in control of the government. Read more
• 312 — Civil wars of the Tetrarchy: Constantine the Great defeated Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in Rome. Read more

Events

• 2025 — Hurricane Melissa makes landfall near Black River, Jamaica, killing over 30 people, as well as tying the 1935 Labor Day hurricane as the most intense landfall in the North Atlantic. Read more
• 2023 — The 2023 Rugby World Cup final is held at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. It saw South Africa defeat New Zealand 12 to 11, claiming their fourth Webb Ellis Cup, becoming the first nation to do so. Read more
• 2018 — Jair Bolsonaro is elected president of Brazil with 57 million votes, with Workers' Party candidate Fernando Haddad as the runner-up. It is the first time in 16 years that a Workers' Party candidate is not elected president. Read more
• 2014 — A rocket carrying NASA's Cygnus CRS Orb-3 resupply mission to the International Space Station explodes seconds after taking off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Wallops Island, Virginia. Read more
• 2013 — Five people are killed and 38 are injured after a car crashes into barriers at Tiananmen Square in China. Read more
• 2009 — The 28 October 2009 Peshawar bombing kills 117 and wounds 213. Read more
• 2009 — NASA successfully launches the Ares I-X mission, the only rocket launch for its short-lived Constellation program. Read more
• 2009 — US President Barack Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Read more
• 2007 — Cristina Fernández de Kirchner becomes the first directly elected female President of Argentina. Read more
• 2006 — A funeral service takes place at the Bykivnia graves for Ukrainians who were killed by the Soviet secret police. Read more
• 1995 — The Baku Metro fire sees 289 people killed and 270 injured. Read more
• 1990 — Georgia holds its only free election under Soviet rule. Read more
• 1989 — Aloha Island Air Flight 1712, a Twin Otter 300, crashed into terrain at night in Hawaii killing all 20 occupants onboard. Read more
• 1982 — The Spanish general election begins fourteen years of rule by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. Read more
• 1971 — Prospero becomes the only British satellite to be launched by a British rocket. Read more
• 1965 — Pope Paul VI promulgates Nostra aetate, by which the Roman Catholic Church officially recognizes the legitimacy of non-Christian faiths. Read more
• 1962 — The Cuban Missile Crisis ends and Premier Nikita Khrushchev orders the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. Read more
• 1958 — John XXIII is elected Pope. Read more
• 1956 — Hungarian Revolution: A de facto ceasefire comes into effect between armed revolutionaries and Soviet troops, who begin to withdraw from Budapest. Communist officials and facilities come under attack by revolutionaries. Read more
• 1954 — Aeroflot Flight 136 crashes near Krasnoyarsk, killing 19. Read more
• 1949 — An Air France Lockheed Constellation crashes in the Azores, killing all 48 people on board. Read more
• 1948 — Paul Hermann Müller is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the insecticidal properties of DDT. Read more
• 1948 — Ecological disaster in Donora, Pennsylvania. Read more
• 1942 — The Alaska Highway first connects Alaska to the North American railway network at Dawson Creek in Canada. Read more
• 1940 — World War II: Greece rejects Italy's ultimatum. Italy invades Greece through Albania a few hours later. Read more
• 1928 — Indonesia Raya, now the national anthem of Indonesia, is first played during the Second Indonesian Youth Congress. Read more
• 1922 — Italian fascists led by Benito Mussolini march on Rome and take over the Italian government. Read more
• 1919 — The U.S. Congress passes the Volstead Act over President Woodrow Wilson's veto, paving the way for Prohibition to begin the following January. Read more
• 1918 — World War I: A new Polish government in western Galicia is established, triggering the Polish–Ukrainian War. Read more
• 1918 — World War I: Czech politicians peacefully take over the city of Prague, thus establishing the First Czechoslovak Republic. Read more
• 1893 — Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Pathétique receives its première performance only nine days before the composer's death. Read more
• 1891 — The Mino–Owari earthquake, the largest inland earthquake in Japan's history, occurs. Read more
• 1886 — US president Grover Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty. Read more
• 1864 — American Civil War: In East Tennessee, Union forces under General Alvan C. Gillem route Confederate troops under General John C. Vaughn during the Battle of Morristown. Read more
• 1835 — The United Tribes of New Zealand are established with the signature of the Declaration of Independence. Read more
• 1834 — The Pinjarra massacre occurs in the Swan River Colony. An estimated 30 Noongar people are killed by British colonists. Read more
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: British troops under General William Howe attack General George Washington's Continental Army and capture Chatterton Hill in the Battle of White Plains during the New York and New Jersey campaign. Read more
• 1746 — The 1746 Lima–Callao earthquake causes up to 6,000 deaths in Peru, the deadliest in its history up to that point. Read more
• 1726 — The novel Gulliver's Travels written by Jonathan Swift is published. Read more
• 1707 — The 1707 Hōei earthquake causes more than 5,000 deaths in Japan. Read more
• 1664 — The Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, later to be known as the Royal Marines, is established. Read more
• 1640 — The Treaty of Ripon is signed, ending the hostilities of the Second Bishops' War. Read more
• 1636 — The Massachusetts Bay Colony votes to establish a theological college, which would later become Harvard University. Read more
• 1628 — French Wars of Religion: The Siege of La Rochelle ends with the surrender of the Huguenots after fourteen months. Read more
• 1562 — James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, defeats the forces of the rebelious George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly, in the battle of Corrichie. Read more
• 1538 — The Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino is founded in what is now the Dominican Republic. Read more
• 1531 — Abyssinian–Adal war: The Adal Sultanate seizes southern Ethiopia. Read more
• 1520 — Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Pacific Ocean. Read more
• 1516 — Second Ottoman–Mamluk War: Mamluks fail to stop the Ottoman advance towards Egypt at the Battle of Yaunis Khan. Read more
• 1492 — Christopher Columbus lands in Cuba on his first voyage to the New World, surmising that it is Japan. Read more
• 1453 — Ladislaus the Posthumous is crowned king of Bohemia in Prague. Read more
• 1449 — Christian I is crowned king of Denmark. Read more
• 1420 — Beijing is officially designated the capital of the Ming dynasty when the Forbidden City is completed. Read more
• 1344 — The lower town of Smyrna is captured by Latin Christians in response to Aydınid piracy during the Smyrniote crusades. Read more
• 1061 — Pietro Cadalo is appointed by the German Imperial court as antipope to the pope Alexander II, who was elected in the previous month. Read more
• 969 — The Byzantine Empire recovers Antioch from Arab rule. Read more
• 312 — Constantine I defeats Maxentius in the battle of the Milvian Bridge, becoming the sole Roman emperor in the West. Read more
• 306 — Maxentius is proclaimed Roman emperor. Read more
• 97 — Roman emperor Nerva is forced by the Praetorian Guard to adopt general Marcus Ulpius Trajanus as his heir and successor. Read more

Born on October 28

• 2006 — Yoon Do-young, South Korean footballer Read more
• 2001 — Sonay Kartal, British tennis player Read more
• 1998 — Nolan Gould, American actor Read more
• 1997 — Stetson Bennett, American football player Read more
• 1997 — Taylor Fritz, American tennis player Read more
• 1997 — Georgia Godwin, Australian artistic gymnast Read more
• 1996 — Jasmine Jessica Anthony, American actress Read more
• 1996 — Jack Eichel, American ice hockey player Read more
• 1996 — Una Raymond-Hoey, Irish cricketer Read more
• 1995 — Glen Kamara, Finnish footballer Read more
• 1995 — Jae'Sean Tate, American basketball player Read more
• 1995 — An Ye-seul, South Korean singer Read more
• 1994 — Andrew Harrison, American basketball player Read more
• 1992 — Lexi Ainsworth, American actress Read more
• 1992 — Jeon Ji-hee, South Korean table tennis player Read more
• 1992 — Maria Sergejeva, Estonian figure skater Read more
• 1991 — Lucy Bronze, English footballer Read more
• 1989 — Devin Ebanks, American basketball player Read more
• 1989 — Camille Muffat, French swimmer (died 2015) Read more
• 1988 — Edd Gould, English cartoonist and animator (died 2012) Read more
• 1988 — Devon Murray, Irish actor Read more
• 1988 — Jamie xx, English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer Read more
• 1987 — Frank Ocean, American singer-songwriter Read more
• 1986 — May Calamawy, Egyptian-Palestinian actress Read more
• 1986 — Isabelle Eriksson, Swedish athlete Read more
• 1986 — Anthony Griffith, English footballer Read more
• 1986 — Aki Toyosaki, Japanese voice actress and singer Read more
• 1985 — Tyrone Barnett, English footballer Read more
• 1985 — Troian Bellisario, American actress Read more
• 1985 — Anthony Fantano, American music critic Read more
• 1984 — Bryn Evans, New Zealand rugby player Read more
• 1984 — Obafemi Martins, Nigerian footballer Read more
• 1984 — Finn Wittrock, American actor Read more
• 1983 — Jarrett Jack, American basketball player Read more
• 1983 — Kayo Noro, Japanese singer and actress Read more
• 1983 — Joe Thomas, English actor and screenwriter Read more
• 1982 — Jeremy Bonderman, American baseball player Read more
• 1982 — Enver Jääger, Estonian footballer Read more
• 1982 — Anthony Lerew, American baseball player Read more
• 1982 — Hironori Saruta, Japanese footballer Read more

Died on October 28

• 2024 — Renato Martino, Italian Roman Catholic cardinal (born 1932) Read more
• 2024 — Paul Morrissey, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1938) Read more
• 2024 — Jamshid Sharmahd, German-American affiliate of Kingdom Assembly of Iran (born 1955) Read more
• 2024 — Kazuo Umezu, Japanese manga artist (born 1936) Read more
• 2023 — Matthew Perry, American-Canadian actor (born 1969) Read more
• 2023 — Adam Johnson, American ice hockey player (born 1994) Read more
• 2022 — Jerry Lee Lewis, American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1935) Read more
• 2018 — Colin Sylvia, Australian rules footballer (born 1985) Read more
• 2014 — Galway Kinnell, American poet and academic (born 1927) Read more
• 2014 — Michael Sata, Zambian police officer and politician, 5th President of Zambia (born 1937) Read more
• 2013 — Tetsuharu Kawakami, Japanese baseball player and manager (born 1920) Read more
• 2013 — Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Polish journalist and politician, Prime Minister of Poland (born 1927) Read more
• 2013 — Aleksandar Tijanić, Serbian journalist (born 1949) Read more
• 2013 — Rajendra Yadav, Indian author (born 1929) Read more
• 2012 — Gordon Bilney, Australian dentist and politician (born 1939) Read more
• 2012 — John Cheffers, Australian footballer and coach (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — Jack Dellal, English businessman (born 1923) Read more
• 2011 — Tom Addington, English soldier (born 1919) Read more
• 2010 — Liang Congjie, Chinese historian and activist, founded Friends of Nature (born 1932) Read more
• 2010 — James MacArthur, American actor (born 1937) Read more
• 2010 — Jonathan Motzfeldt, Greenlandic politician, 1st Prime Minister of Greenland (born 1938) Read more
• 2010 — Ehud Netzer, Israeli archaeologist, architect, and educator (born 1934) Read more
• 2009 — Taylor Mitchell, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1990) Read more
• 2007 — Takao Fujinami, Japanese lawyer and politician (born 1932) Read more
• 2007 — Porter Wagoner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1927) Read more
• 2006 — Red Auerbach, American basketball player and coach (born 1917) Read more
• 2006 — Trevor Berbick, Jamaican-Canadian boxer (born 1954) Read more
• 2006 — Marijohn Wilkin, American guitarist and songwriter (born 1920) Read more
• 2005 — Bob Broeg, American soldier and journalist (born 1918) Read more
• 2005 — Raymond Hains, French photographer (born 1926) Read more
• 2005 — Tony Jackson, American basketball player (born 1942) Read more
• 2005 — Fernando Quejas, Cape Verdean-Portuguese singer-songwriter (born 1922) Read more
• 2005 — Richard Smalley, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1943) Read more
• 2005 — Ljuba Tadić, Serbian actor and screenwriter (born 1929) Read more
• 2004 — Eugene K. Bird, American colonel and author, US Commandant of Spandau Prison (born 1926) Read more
• 2003 — Sally Baldwin, Scottish social sciences professor (born 1940) Read more
• 2002 — Margaret Booth, American screenwriter and producer (born 1898) Read more
• 2002 — Erling Persson, Swedish businessman, founded H&M (born 1917) Read more
• 2001 — Gerard Hengeveld, Dutch pianist, composer, and educator (born 1910) Read more
• 2000 — Andújar Cedeño, Dominican baseball player (born 1969) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Abdias of Babylon; Christian feast day: Abgar V of Edessa (Eastern Orthodox Church); Christian feast day: Eadsige; Christian feast day: Faro; Christian feast day: Fidelis of Como (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Firmilian; Christian feast day: Francis Serrano; Christian feast day: Godwin of Stavelot; Christian feast day: Job of Pochayiv (repose) (Eastern Orthodox Church); Christian feast day: The Apostles Simon and Jude (Western Christianity); Christian feast day: Lord of Miracles (Lima); Christian feast day: October 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the Establishment of an Independent Czecho-Slovak State, celebrates the independence of Czechoslovakia from Austria-Hungary in 1918. (Czech Republic and Slovakia); International Animation Day (ASIFA); Ohi Day (Greece, Cyprus and the Greek communities), a national day in Greece.; Prefectural Earthquake Disaster Prevention Day (Gifu Prefecture); Youth Pledge Day or Hari Sumpah Pemuda (Indonesia); Anniversary of the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis, celebrating the liberation from Nazi German troops of the territory of current Ukraine

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