This Day in History: August 28

Featured Biography

Emmett Till
American murder victim
1982
LeAnn Rimes
American singer
1969
Jack Black
American actor
1969
Sheryl Sandberg
American business executive
1965
Shania Twain
Canadian musician
1962
David Fincher
American director

More Events On This Day

2020
Chadwick Boseman
American actor Chadwick Boseman, who had iconic roles in such movies as Black Panther (2018), died from colon cancer at age 43. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz of A-list actors
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
2014
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American spy John Walker, a U.S. Navy communications specialist who passed classified documents to Soviet agents for nearly two decades (1967–85) before being caught, died in prison at age 77. Read our list of 10 famous names in the espionage game
1996
Prince Charles and Princess Diana
The 15-year marriage of Charles, prince of Wales, and Diana, princess of Wales, ended as a final divorce decree was issued. How much do you know about Princess Diana?
Press Association/AP Images
1993
asteroid Ida and its satellite, Dactyl
The spacecraft Galileo took pictures of the asteroid Ida. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about space objects
Photo NASA/JPL/Caltech
1968
1968 Democratic National Convention, Chicago
Protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention—fueled, in part, by opposition to the Vietnam War—culminated in the so-called Battle of Michigan Avenue, a violent confrontation between demonstrators and police. Read our list of 10 Democrats who made history
Everett Collection/age fotostock
1952
Rita Dove
Writer and teacher Rita Dove, poet laureate of the United States (1993–95) and winner of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Thomas and Beulah (1986), was born in Akron, Ohio. Take our quiz about poets and poetic form
Chris Felver/© Archive Photos
1946
Ava Gardner
The Killers, starring Ava Gardner and Burt Lancaster in his breakthrough role, had its world premiere in New York City, and it became a film noir classic. Test your knowledge of women in classic cinema
© 1946 Universal Pictures
1938
Paul Martin
Liberal politician Paul Martin—who, as prime minister of Canada (2003–06), fostered economic growth and introduced progressive social policies but lost power amid a financial scandal in his party—was born. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Canada
Photo by Dave Chan-PMO
1914
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The first major engagement of the British and German navies during World War I occurred at the Battle of Helgoland Bight. Take our quiz about World War I
1850
Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin was performed for the first time, at Weimar, Germany. How much do you know about opera?
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1793
Siege of Toulon
The Siege of Toulon in the French Revolutionary wars began. Test your knowledge of French history
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-pga-12382)
476
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The fall of the Western Roman Empire was completed as Emperor Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the German warrior Odoacer. Take our quiz about the Roman Empire