May 28 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what May 28 in history holds? From 2017 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on May 28 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, May 28 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about May 28 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on May 28 in History 40
- 2017
Former Formula One driver Takuma Sato wins his first Indianapolis 500, the first Japanese and Asian driver to do so. Double world champion Fernando Alonso retires from the race with an engine issue in his first entry of the event.
- 2016
Harambe, a gorilla, is shot to death after grabbing a three-year-old boy in his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, resulting in widespread criticism and sparking various internet memes.
- 2013
Start of the Gezi Park protests in Turkey.
- 2012
The Arkankergen massacre in Kazakhstan's Alakol District kills 15 people.
- 2011
Malta votes on the introduction of divorce; the proposal was approved by 53% of voters, resulting in a law allowing divorce under certain conditions being enacted later in the year.
- 2010
In West Bengal, India, the Jnaneswari Express train derailment and subsequent collision kills 148 passengers.
- 2008
The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal formally declares Nepal a republic, ending the 240-year reign of the Shah dynasty.
- 2004
The Iraqi Governing Council chooses Ayad Allawi, a longtime anti-Saddam Hussein exile, as prime minister of Iraq's interim government.
- 2003
Peter Hollingworth resigns as Governor-General of Australia following criticism of his handling of child sexual abuse allegations during his tenure as Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane.
- 2002
The last steel girder is removed from the original World Trade Center site. Cleanup duties officially end with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, New York City.
- 1999
In Milan, Italy, after 22 years of restoration work, Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece The Last Supper is put back on display.
- 1998
Nuclear testing: Pakistan responds to a series of nuclear tests by India with five of its own codenamed Chagai-I, prompting the United States, Japan, and other nations to impose economic sanctions. Pakistan celebrates Youm-e-Takbir annually.
All entries for May 28（+28）
- 1996
U.S. President Bill Clinton's former business partners in the Whitewater land deal, Jim McDougal and Susan McDougal, and the Governor of Arkansas, Jim Guy Tucker, are convicted of fraud.
- 1995
The 7.0 Mw Neftegorsk earthquake shakes the former Russian settlement of Neftegorsk with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). Total damage was $64.1–300 million, with 1,989 deaths and 750 injured. The settlement was not rebuilt.
- 1991
The capital city of Addis Ababa falls to the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, ending both the Derg regime in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Civil War.
- 1987
An 18-year-old West German pilot, Mathias Rust, evades Soviet Union air defences and lands a private plane in Red Square in Moscow, Russia.
- 1979
Konstantinos Karamanlis signs the full treaty of the accession of Greece with the European Economic Community.
- 1977
The Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, is engulfed by fire, killing 165 people inside.
- 1975
Fifteen West African countries sign the Treaty of Lagos, creating the Economic Community of West African States.
- 1975
At Brampton Centennial Secondary School, student Michael Slobodian kills two people and injures 13 others before committing suicide.
- 1974
Northern Ireland's power-sharing Sunningdale Agreement collapses following a general strike by loyalists.
- 1968
Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892 crashes near Nala Sopara in India, killing 30.
- 1964
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is founded, with Yasser Arafat elected as its first leader.
- 1962
The Soviet Kosmos 5 satellite is launched.
- 1961
Peter Benenson's article The Forgotten Prisoners is published in several internationally read newspapers. This will later be thought of as the founding of the human rights organization Amnesty International.
- 1958
Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement, heavily reinforced by Frank Pais Militia, overwhelm an army post in El Uvero.
- 1948
Daniel François Malan is elected as Prime Minister of South Africa. He later goes on to implement Apartheid.
- 1940
World War II: Belgium surrenders to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium.
- 1940
World War II: Norwegian, French, Polish and British forces recapture Narvik in Norway. This is the first Allied infantry victory of the War.
- 1937
Volkswagen, the German automobile manufacturer, is founded.
- 1936
Alan Turing submits On Computable Numbers for publication.
- 1934
Near Callander, Ontario, Canada, the Dionne quintuplets are born to Oliva and Elzire Dionne; they will be the first quintuplets to survive infancy.
- 1932
In the Netherlands, construction of the Afsluitdijk is completed and the Zuiderzee bay is converted to the freshwater IJsselmeer.
- 1926
The 28 May 1926 coup d'état: Ditadura Nacional is established in Portugal to suppress the unrest of the First Republic.
- 1918
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia declare their independence.
- 1907
The first Isle of Man TT race is held.
- 1905
Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima ends with the destruction of the Russian Baltic Fleet by Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō and the Imperial Japanese Navy.
- 1892
In San Francisco, John Muir organizes the Sierra Club.
- 1871
The Paris Commune falls after two months.
- 1830
U.S. President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act which denies Native Americans their land rights and forcibly relocates them.
Famous Birthdays on May 28 in History 25
- 2000
Phil Foden, English footballer
- 2000
Risi Pouri-Lane, New Zealand rugby sevens player
- 1999
Cameron Boyce, American actor (died 2019)
- 1999
Jodie Burrage, British tennis player
- 1998
Kim Dahyun, South Korean rapper and singer
- 1998
De'Anthony Melton, American basketball player
- 1995
Lukas Gage, American actor
- 1994
Alec Benjamin, American singer and songwriter
- 1994
John Stones, English footballer
- 1993
Daniel Alvaro, Australian rugby league player
- 1993
Bárbara Luz, Portuguese tennis player
- 1991
Danielle Lao, American tennis player
All entries for May 28（+13）
- 1990
Kyle Walker, English footballer
- 1990
Riquna Williams, American basketball player
- 1988
NaVorro Bowman, American football player
- 1988
Percy Harvin, American football player
- 1988
Craig Kimbrel, American baseball player
- 1988
David Perron, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1987
T.J. Yates, American football player
- 1986
Berrick Barnes, Australian rugby player
- 1986
Bryant Dunston, American-Armenian basketball player
- 1986
Michael Oher, American football player
- 1986
Seth Rollins, American wrestler
- 1986
Ingmar Vos, Dutch decathlete
- 1985
Colbie Caillat, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Notable Deaths on May 28 in History 25
- 2026
Claude Lemieux, heavy-hitting retired NHL forward and four-time Stanley Cup winner (born 1965)
- 2025
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Kenyan writer and academic (born 1938)
- 2023
David Breaer, English politician, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (born 1940)
- 2022
Patricia Brake, English actress (born 1942)
- 2021
Mark Eaton, American basketball player (born 1957)
- 2018
Neale Cooper, Scottish footballer (born 1963)
- 2018
Jens Christian Skou, Danish medical doctor and Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918)
- 2018
Cornelia Frances, English-Australian actress (born 1941)
- 2016
Harambe, Cincinnati Zoo western lowland gorilla (born 1999)
- 2015
Steven Gerber, American pianist and composer (born 1948)
- 2015
Johnny Keating, Scottish trombonist, composer, and producer (born 1927)
- 2015
Reynaldo Rey, American actor and screenwriter (born 1940)
All entries for May 28（+13）
- 2014
Maya Angelou, American memoirist and poet (born 1928)
- 2014
Stan Crowther, English footballer (born 1935)
- 2014
Oscar Dystel, American publisher (born 1912)
- 2014
Malcolm Glazer, American businessman (born 1928)
- 2014
Bob Houbregs, Canadian-American basketball player and manager (born 1932)
- 2014
Isaac Kungwane, South African footballer (born 1971)
- 2013
Viktor Kulikov, Russian commander (born 1921)
- 2013
Eddie Romero, Filipino director, producer, screenwriter, and National Artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts (born 1924)
- 2013
Gerd Schmückle, German general (born 1917)
- 2012
Bob Edwards, English journalist (born 1925)
- 2012
Yuri Susloparov, Ukrainian-Russian footballer and manager (born 1958)
- 2011
Gino Valenzano, Italian racing driver (born 1920)
- 2010
Gary Coleman, American actor (born 1968)
That is the story of May 28 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on May 28 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on May 28 in history?
The biggest event on May 28 in history is: 2017 — Former Formula One driver Takuma Sato wins his first Indianapolis 500, the first Japanese and Asian driver to do so. Double world champion Fernando Alonso retires from the race with an engine issue in his first entry of the event.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on May 28?
25 famous people were born on May 28 in history, the best known being 2000 — Phil Foden, English footballer.
Who died on May 28?
25 notable people died on May 28 in history, including 2026 — Claude Lemieux, heavy-hitting retired NHL forward and four-time Stanley Cup winner (born 1965).
Why should I read about May 28 in history?
Exploring May 28 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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