January 28 facts for kids

2025 Calendar

January 28 in recent years

January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 337 days remain until the end of the year (338 in leap years).

Every day holds special moments from history! January 28th is a day when many important things happened, from ancient emperors taking power to new inventions and big events that changed the world. Let's explore some of the key happenings on this date throughout history.

Historical Events
Famous Birthdays
Notable Deaths
Holidays and Observances
Images for kids
See also

Historical Events

Ancient Times and Middle Ages

In 98 AD, after Emperor Nerva passed away, Trajan became the new Roman emperor. He was declared emperor in Cologne, which was an important city in lower Germany at the time.
In 814, Charlemagne, who was a very powerful emperor in Europe, died. His son, Louis the Pious, then became the ruler of the large Frankish Empire.
In 1069, Robert de Comines, a leader appointed by William the Conqueror, was defeated and killed by rebels in Durham, England. This event led to a harsh period known as the Harrying of the North, where the land was greatly damaged.
In 1077, a famous event called the Walk to Canossa happened. Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, had to humble himself before Pope Gregory VII in Italy to have his excommunication lifted. Excommunication meant he was kicked out of the church.
The Diet of Worms began in 1521. This was a very important meeting in Germany that lasted for several months.
In 1547, Edward VI, who was only nine years old, became the King of England after his father, Henry VIII, died.
In 1568, the Edict of Torda was signed. This important rule made it illegal to treat people badly because of their religious beliefs in the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom.
The Warsaw Confederation was signed in 1573. This agreement allowed people to practice their own religion freely in Poland.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

In 1624, Sir Thomas Warner started the first British colony in the Caribbean on the island of Saint Kitts.
The original city of Panama was destroyed by a fire in 1671. A privateer named Henry Morgan attacked and burned the city. Today, the ruins of this old city can still be seen.
The Russian Academy of Sciences was created in 1724 in St. Petersburg by Peter the Great. It was a major step for science and learning in Russia.
In 1754, Horace Walpole invented the word serendipity. It means finding something good or useful by accident.
Jane Austen's famous novel, Pride and Prejudice, was first published in the United Kingdom in 1813.
In 1846, British troops, led by Sir Harry Smith, won the Battle of Aliwal in India.
Northwestern University became the first officially recognized university in Illinois in 1851.
In 1855, a train on the Panama Canal Railway traveled from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean for the very first time.
The Siege of Paris ended in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian War. France was defeated, and a peace agreement was made.
The Yale Daily News started in 1878. It was the first independent daily college newspaper in the United States.
In 1896, Walter Arnold became the first person ever found guilty of speeding in England. He was fined for driving at 8 miles per hour, which was much faster than the 2 mph limit at the time!

The 1900s and Beyond

The Carnegie Institution for Science was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1902. It was started with a huge gift of $10 million from Andrew Carnegie.
In 1909, United States troops left Cuba after being there since the Spanish–American War. However, they kept a naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
The United States Coast Guard was officially created as a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces by an act of Congress in 1915.
In 1916, the Canadian province of Manitoba gave women the right to vote and run for office. This was the first time women in Canada were given these important voting rights.
The Finnish Civil War saw the Red Guard rebels take control of Helsinki, the capital, in 1918.
The Order of the White Rose of Finland was created in 1919 by Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, who was the leader of Finland at the time.
In 1922, a huge snowstorm in Washington, D.C., called the Knickerbocker Storm, caused a disaster. The roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre collapsed, and over 100 people sadly lost their lives.
Japanese forces attacked Shanghai in 1932.
The name Pakistan was created in 1933 by Choudhry Rahmat Ali Khan. It was later adopted by Indian Muslims who wanted independence.
In 1938, Rudolf Caracciola set a new World Land Speed Record on a public road. He drove his special car at an amazing speed of 432.7 kilometers per hour (about 268.9 mph)!
During World War II in 1945, supplies finally started reaching the Republic of China through the newly reopened Burma Road.
Elvis Presley made his first national television appearance in 1956, becoming a huge star.
The Lego company patented the design of its famous Lego bricks in 1958. What's cool is that new Lego bricks still fit with old ones!
In 1960, the National Football League announced that two new teams would be joining: the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings.
The current design of the Flag of Canada was chosen by the Canadian Parliament in 1965.
The Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977 began in 1977. This huge snowstorm dumped 10 feet of snow in one day in parts of Upstate New York, especially around Buffalo and Syracuse.
In 1981, Ronald Reagan removed controls on oil prices in the United States. This helped to end the 1979 oil crisis and led to more oil being available.
US Army General James L. Dozier was rescued in 1982 by Italian anti-terrorism forces. He had been held captive by a group called the Red Brigades.
Tropical Storm Domoina hit southern Mozambique in 1984. It caused severe flooding and led to 214 deaths.
In 1985, the supergroup USA for Africa recorded the hit song We Are the World. This song helped raise money to help people affected by famine in Ethiopia.
A very sad event happened in 1986. The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after liftoff, and all seven astronauts on board were lost.
In 2023, protests began.

Famous Birthdays

Many notable people were born on January 28th!

Born Before the 1600s

598 – Taizong, a powerful emperor of the Tang dynasty in China.
1457 – Henry VII, who became the King of England.
1540 – Ludolph van Ceulen, a German-Dutch mathematician.
1600 – Clement IX, who became a Pope of the Catholic Church.

Born Between 1601 and 1900

1608 – Giovanni Alfonso Borelli, an Italian scientist who studied how bodies move.
1611 – Johannes Hevelius, a Polish astronomer.
1706 – John Baskerville, an English printer and typographer.
1784 – George Hamilton-Gordon, who became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
1822 – Alexander Mackenzie, who became the second Prime Minister of Canada.
1853 – José Martí, a Cuban journalist and poet.
1865 – Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg, the first President of Finland.
1873 – Colette, a famous French novelist.
1884 – Auguste Piccard, a Swiss physicist and explorer.
1887 – Arthur Rubinstein, a world-renowned Polish-American pianist.
1900 – Alice Neel, an American painter.

Born After 1900

1903 – Kathleen Lonsdale, an Irish crystallographer and the first female member of the Royal Society.
1912 – Jackson Pollock, a very famous American painter.
1922 – Robert W. Holley, an American biochemist who won a Nobel Prize.
1929 – Acker Bilk, an English singer and clarinet player.
1936 – Alan Alda, a well-known American actor and writer.
1938 – Tomas Lindahl, a Swedish-English biologist who won a Nobel Prize.
1940 – Carlos Slim, a Mexican businessman and philanthropist.
1944 – Rosalía Mera, a Spanish businesswoman who co-founded Zara.
1948 – Charles Taylor, who became the President of Liberia.
1949 – Gregg Popovich, a famous American basketball coach.
1950 – Carlos Slim, a Mexican businessman and philanthropist.
1955 – Nicolas Sarkozy, who became the President of France.
1968 – Sarah McLachlan, a popular Canadian singer-songwriter.
1972 – Amy Coney Barrett, an American jurist and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
1976 – Rick Ross, an American rapper.
1978 – Gianluigi Buffon, a famous Italian footballer (soccer player).
1978 – Jamie Carragher, an English footballer.
1980 – Nick Carter, an American singer from the Backstreet Boys.
1981 – Elijah Wood, an American actor, known for The Lord of the Rings.
1985 – J. Cole, an American rapper.
1986 – Jessica Ennis-Hill, an English Olympic athlete.
1993 – Will Poulter, an English actor.
1994 – Maluma, a popular Colombian singer.
1998 – Ariel Winter, an American actress.

Notable Deaths

People who passed away on January 28th include:

Died Before the 1600s

814 – Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor.
1142 – Yue Fei, a Chinese general.
1547 – Henry VIII, the King of England.

Died Between 1601 and 1900

1613 – Thomas Bodley, an English diplomat who founded the Bodleian Library.
1621 – Pope Paul V.
1687 – Johannes Hevelius, a Polish astronomer.
1859 – F. J. Robinson, who was a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Died After 1900

1918 – John McCrae, a Canadian soldier and author.
1939 – W. B. Yeats, a famous Irish poet who won a Nobel Prize in Literature.
1945 – Roza Shanina, a Russian sniper during World War II.
1960 – Zora Neale Hurston, an American novelist and folklorist.
1973 – John Banner, an Austrian actor.
1983 – Frank Forde, who was a Prime Minister of Australia.
1986 – The seven astronauts of the Space Shuttle Challenger crew:
- Gregory Jarvis, an engineer and astronaut.
- Christa McAuliffe, an educator and astronaut.
- Ronald McNair, a physicist and astronaut.
- Ellison Onizuka, an engineer and astronaut.
- Judith Resnik, an engineer and astronaut.
- Dick Scobee, a pilot and astronaut.
- Michael J. Smith, a pilot and astronaut.
1996 – Joseph Brodsky, a Russian-American poet who won a Nobel Prize.
1996 – Jerry Siegel, the co-creator of Superman.
2002 – Astrid Lindgren, a Swedish author, known for Pippi Longstocking.
2015 – Yves Chauvin, a French chemist who won a Nobel Prize.
2021 – Cicely Tyson, a celebrated American actress.

Holidays and Observances

Army Day (Armenia)
Data Privacy Day

Images for kids

A friendly robot, representing learning and discovery.