Europa
- 1207: Liverpool Becomes a Borough
On August 28, 1207, King John of England officially created Liverpool as a borough, a foundational moment in the city’s history. - 1592: Birth of George Villiers
George Villiers, who would become the 1st Duke of Buckingham and a favorite of King James I of England, was born on this day. His influence at court was significant, though he was widely unpopular with the public. - 1619: Ferdinand II Elected Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II was elected emperor of the Holy Roman Empire on August 28, 1619. His reign was pivotal in the Thirty Years’ War, which shaped much of central European history. - 1849: French Capture of Rome
The French military captured Rome, effectively ending the Roman Republic and restoring papal rule, marking a significant moment in the Italian unification process. - 475: Orestes Forces Emperor Julius Nepos to Flee Ravenna
The Roman general Orestes forced the Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his capital, installing his own son, Romulus Augustulus, as emperor—an event leading toward the end of the Western Roman Empire. - 1521: Ottoman Turks Occupy Belgrade
The Ottoman Empire’s occupation of Belgrade on this date was a major milestone in the Ottoman expansion into Central Europe.
America
- 1963: March on Washington & “I Have a Dream” Speech
On August 28, 1963, over 200,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, a defining moment in the American civil rights movement. - 1955: Murder of Emmett Till
Fourteen-year-old Emmett Till, an African-American boy from Chicago, was brutally murdered in Money, Mississippi, after being accused of offending a white woman. His death became a catalyst for the emerging civil rights movement. - 1957: Strom Thurmond’s Filibuster
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond began the longest filibuster by a single senator in U.S. history—24 hours and 18 minutes—attempting to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957. - 1830: Tom Thumb Locomotive Race
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s new Tom Thumb steam locomotive raced a horse-drawn car, heralding the age of steam-powered railroads in the United States. - 1862: Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) took place during the American Civil War. - 1867: U.S. Takes Possession of Midway Atoll
The United States formally took possession of the Midway Atoll, expanding its Pacific presence. - 1963: Evergreen Point Floating Bridge Opens
The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge) opened in Washington State, becoming the longest floating bridge in the world at the time. - 1845: First Issue of Scientific American
The inaugural issue of Scientific American, now the oldest continuously published magazine in the U.S., was published.
Asia
- 1945: Allied Occupation of Japan Begins
On August 28, 1945, Allied forces began their occupation of Japan following its surrender at the end of World War II. This marked the start of a significant transformation in Japanese society, politics, and international relations. - 1945: Key Developments in China’s Civil War
Several battles in the Chinese Civil War occurred around this date, including the end of the Southern Jiangsu Campaign in communist victory and the beginning of the Battle of Baoying in central Jiangsu. - 1945: First Major Japanese Surrender Ceremony in China
The first major Japanese surrender ceremony in China took place at Zhijiang Airport in Hunan Province, symbolizing the end of Japanese occupation in parts of China. - 1945: Major Changes in Southeast Asia
The abdication of the Bảo Đại Emperor marked the end of the Empire of Vietnam, a pivotal moment leading to the August Revolution and the eventual declaration of independence by Ho Chi Minh. - 1901: Founding of Silliman University in the Philippines
Silliman University, the first American university in Asia, was founded in Dumaguete, Philippines, on August 28, 1901. - 1986: Bhagyashree Sathe Becomes India’s First Female Chess Grandmaster
On August 28, 1986, Bhagyashree Sathe became the first woman in India to achieve the title of chess grandmaster, marking a milestone in Indian sports history. - 2017: End of the Doklam Standoff Between India and China
On August 28, 2017, India and China agreed to withdraw their troops from the Doklam plateau, ending a tense 72-day military standoff near the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction. This resolution was significant for regional stability and India-China relations. - 2017: Rohingya Crisis Escalates in Myanmar
In late August 2017, attacks by Rohingya insurgents against Myanmar’s border guards triggered a severe military crackdown. By August 28, the violence had caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, sparking a major humanitarian crisis.
Africa
- Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire (1833)
On August 28, 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act received Royal Assent in the United Kingdom, officially abolishing slavery in most British colonies. This act freed more than 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and South Africa, as well as a small number in Canada. The legislation was a direct response to increasing slave rebellions and resistance, and it had a profound impact on the African continent and its diaspora, inspiring further abolitionist movements worldwide. - Significance for South Africa
The abolition act directly affected South Africa, then a British colony, leading to the emancipation of enslaved Africans there. While the act was passed in Britain, its consequences were felt across the continent, influencing the social and economic structures of African societies under British rule. - Pan-African Congress (1921)
The Second Pan-African Congress, which brought together delegates from Africa and the African diaspora, began on August 28, 1921, in London, Brussels, and Paris. Of the 113 delegates, 39 were from Africa and 36 from America, highlighting the transcontinental connections in the struggle for Black liberation. - Civil Rights and Global Impact
Although not an event that occurred on African soil, the murder of Emmett Till in 1955 and the March on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 are commemorated globally, including in Africa, as pivotal moments in the broader Black freedom struggle. These events galvanized civil rights movements and anti-colonial struggles across the continent. - Modern Observances
August 28 is recognized in the African diaspora as a day to reflect on the struggles and triumphs of Black people globally. It is also associated with Black August, a period of remembrance and activism rooted in the history of Black resistance and resilience.
This day in history: 28 august