Notable Events and Birthdays on August 28th Throughout History
Today marks the 240th day of the year 2026, with 125 days remaining. On this day in history, significant events took place. In 1845, the first issue of Scientific American magazine was published, making it the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. The Second Battle of Bull Run began in 1862, resulting in the Union army retreating after suffering casualties. Pharmacist Caleb Bradham renamed his carbonated beverage to "Pepsi-Cola" in 1898. Tragically, in 1955, Emmett Till was abducted and found dead in Mississippi. U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond set a record for the longest filibuster in Senate history in 1957. The iconic "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington in 1963. In 1968, police clashed with anti-war demonstrators in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. A devastating air show accident in 1988 claimed 70 lives in West Germany. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation in 2005 as Hurricane Katrina approached. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013 for a shooting rampage at Fort Hood. In 2016, six scientists completed a yearlong Mars simulation in Hawaii.
Celebrating birthdays today are actor Ken Jenkins, former MLB manager Lou Piniella, former MLB pitcher Ron Guidry, former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, artist Ai Weiwei, actor Daniel Stern, Olympic gold medal figure skater Scott Hamilton, actor Jennifer Coolidge, film director David Fincher, country singer Shania Twain, "Pokemon" creator Satoshi Tajiri, actor Billy Boyd, actor Jack Black, Hockey Hall of Famer Pierre Turgeon, actor Jason Priestley, Olympic gold medal swimmer Janet Evans, country singer Jake Owen, country singer LeAnn Rimes, rock singer Florence Welch, and actor Quvenzhane Wallis.