What Happened on January 28
Important Events
- 1521 Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms in Worms, Germany which lasts until May 25th. Produced the "Edict of Worms" which dennouced Martin Luther
- 1807 London's Pall Mall is 1st street lit by gaslight
- 1813 Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is published by Thomas Egerton in the United Kingdom
- 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles lands in Singapore
- 1933 The name "Pakistan" is coined by Choudhry Rahmat Ali and gradually accepted by Muslims in the Indian sub-continent who use it to push for a separate Muslim homeland in South Asia
Jan 28 in Film & TV
- 1951 "La Vie Commence Demain" the 1st X-rated movie, depicting artificial insemination, opens in London
Jan 28 in Music
- 1985 Charity single "We Are the World" is recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and other pop stars)
Jan 28 in Sport
- 2017 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Serena Williams defeats older sister Venus Williams 6–4, 6–4 for her 7th Australian title and record 23rd Grand Slam event singles victory
Famous Birthdays
Thomas Aquinas
(1225 - 1274)- Robert McClure
(1807 - 1873) - Alexander Mackenzie
(1822 - 1892) - Henry Morton Stanley
(1841 - 1904) - Colette
(1873 - 1954) - Elijah Wood
39 Years Old
Thomas Aquinas
Robert McClure
Alexander Mackenzie
Henry Morton Stanley
Colette
Elijah WoodWould You Believe?
In a snowstorm at Fort Keogh, Montana, the world's largest snowflakes are reported, being 15 inches (38 cm) wide and 8 inches (20 cm) thick.
On January 28, 1887
Famous Weddings
- 1867 Labor union leader Samuel Gompers (17) weds co-worker Sophia Julian (16) in Brooklyn, New York
- 1904 German chancellor Konrad Adenauer (28) weds Emma Weyer at St. Stephan Catholic Church in Lindenthal, Germany
- 1925 Actress Gloria Swanson (25) weds aristocrat Henri de la Falaise (26) in Paris, France
Famous Divorces
- 2011 "Desperate Housewives" actress Eva Longoria (37) divorces NBA player Tony Parker (30) due to irreconcilable differences after 3 years of a storybook wedding
Famous Deaths
- Charlemagne
(742 - 814) - Henry VIII
(1491 - 1547) - Francis Drake
( - 1596) - John McCrae
(1872 - 1918) - Red Grange
(1903 - 1991)
Charlemagne
Henry VIII
Francis Drake
John McCrae
Red GrangeArticles, Photos and Quiz
Riot Leader Accuses a Queen
How did Lord George Gordon, an aristocrat who led the Gordon Riots in London, lose a libel case on this day to French Queen Marie Antoinette?
January 28, 1788USS Challenger Explodes
The Space Shuttle Challenger moments after it exploded above Cape Canveral on January 28, 1986
January 28, 1986Weekly Quiz for January 27 - February 2
Who succeeded King Henry VIII to the English throne in 1547? Who wrote the novel Pride and Prejudice?
January in History
'I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Woman'
One of the most notorious denials in political history came on this day when President Bill Clinton held a news conference on his relations with Monica Lewinsky.
January 26, 1998Crippled Kaiser Had Grip of Iron
German Emperor 'Kaiser Bill,' was born on this day, strong-willed and determined to overcome the deformity that afflicted him from birth.
January 27, 1859Secret Behind Mona Lisa's Smile
The smile has beguiled art lovers for nearly 600 years and made the Mona Lisa the world's most famous work of art. But was her smile due to a medical condition?
January 29, 1987Lovesick Prince in Suicide Pact
Two lovers, a pact, then tragedy. But what really happened at Mayerling in 1889 remains a mystery despite 130 years of rumour, speculation – and three movies.
January 30, 1889
