Discover what happened on June 28 in history, featuring milestones in American labor, automotive innovation, Michigan history, aviation, entertainment, and major moments that shaped the modern world.
What Happened on June 28 in History?
Important events on this day include Labor Day becoming a national holiday, the first Chevrolet Corvette being assembled in Flint, Michigan, the official dedication of the Mackinac Bridge, and the beginning of the world’s first commercial satellite communications service.
JUNE 28 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1778 – Mary “Molly Pitcher” Hays McCauley, wife of an American artilleryman, carried water to the soldiers during the Battle of Monmouth and, supposedly, took her husband’s place at his gun after he was overcome with heat.
1820 – Colonel Robert Gibbon ate a tomato on the steps of a New Jersey courthouse to prove that tomatoes were not poisonous.
1869 – R. W. Wood was appointed as the first Surgeon General of the U.S. Navy.
1894 – Congress made Labor Day a U.S. National holiday.
1902 – The U.S. Congress passed the Spooner Act, it authorized a canal to be built across the Isthmus of Panama.
1919 – The Treaty of Versailles was signed ending World War I exactly five years after it began. The treaty also established the League of Nations.
1926 – Mercedes-Benz was formed by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz merging their two companies.
1939 – Pan American Airways began the first transatlantic passenger service.
1938 – Congress created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure construction loans.
1958 – The Mackinac Bridge, connecting Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas, was officially dedicated by then Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams, Bridge Authority Chair Prentis Brown and their wives.
1964 – Malcolm X founded the Organization for Afro American Unity to seek independence for blacks in the Western Hemisphere.
1965 – Governor George Romney signed a bill that made the Petoskey Stone Michigan’s Official State Stone.
1965 – The first commercial satellite began communications service. It was Early Bird (Intelsat I).
1971 – The Supreme Court overturned the draft evasion conviction of Muhammad Ali.
1972 – President Richard Nixon announced that no new draftees would be sent to Vietnam.
1975 – At the Western Open in Illinois, golfer Lee Trevino was struck by lightning. He survived.
1976 – A women entered the U.S. Air Force Academy for the first time.
1980 – Biscayne National Park off the coast of Florida was established.
1985 – The movie “St. Elmo’s Fire” premiered in theaters.
1996 – The Citadel voted to admit women, ending a 153-year-old men-only policy at the South Carolina military school.
1996 – “Peanuts” cartoonist Charles M. Schulz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1996 – The film remake of “The Nutty Professor”, starring Eddie Murphy in many of the roles, debuted in theaters.
1997 – Mike Tyson was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear after three rounds of their WBA heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas, NV.
1998 – The Cincinnati Enquirer apologized to Chiquita banana company and retracted their stories that questioned company’s business practices. They also agreed to pay more than $10 million to settle legal claims.
2000 – Six-year-old Elián González, the Cuban boy who became the subject of a huge political and legal battle in Florida, was sent back to Cuba.
2001 – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit set aside an order that would break up Microsoft for antitrust violations. However, the judges did agree that the company was in violation of antitrust laws.
2005 – The final design for the “Freedom Tower” (One World Trade Center) was formally unveiled.
2006 – Star Jones got the boot from TV’s “The View” after nine years.
2007 – The American bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list.
2010 – The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they live.
2015 – A SpaceX cargo rocket exploded shortly after launch. The unmanned rocket had over two tons of food, provisions, supplies and equipment for the International Space Station onboard.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON JUNE 28:
Mel Brooks – 100 years old (1926) – Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
Patrick Hemingway – 98 years old (1928) – Writer
William C. Campbell – 96 years old (1930) – Irish-American biologist and parasitologist, Nobel Prize laureate
Chuck Howley – 90 years old (1936) – Football player
John Byner – 88 years old (1938) – Actor and comedian
Leon Panetta – 88 years old (1938) – Lawyer and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of Defense
Al Downing – 85 years old (1941) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Frank Zane – 84 years old (1942) – Professional bodybuilder and author
Donald Johanson – 83 years old (1943) – Paleontologist and academic
Jane Harman – 81 years old (1945) – Politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California)
Bruce Davison – 80 years old (1946) – Actor and director
Robert Xavier Rodríguez – 80 years old (1946) – Classical composer
Mark Helprin – 79 years old (1947) – Novelist and journalist
Laura Tyson – 79 years old (1947) – Economist and academic
Kathy Bates – 78 years old (1948) – Actress
Sergei Bodrov – 78 years old (1948) – Russian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
Chris Speier – 76 years old (1950) – Baseball player and coach
Mike Skinner – 69 years old (1957) – Race car driver
Jim Spanarkel – 69 years old (1957) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Donna Edwards – 68 years old (1958) – Lawyer and politician
John Elway – 66 years old (1960) – Football player and manager
Kurt Eichenwald – 65 years old (1961) – Journalist
Jeff Malone – 65 years old (1961) – Basketball player and coach
Charlie Clouser – 63 years old (1963) – Keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
Mark Grace – 62 years old (1964) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Jessica Hecht – 61 years old (1965) – Actress
Bobby Bare Jr. – 60 years old (1966) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
John Cusack – 60 years old (1966) – Actor and screenwriter
Mary Stuart Masterson – 60 years old (1966) – Actress
Chayanne – 58 years old (1968) – Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actor
Tichina Arnold – 57 years old (1969) – Actress and singer
Tom Merritt – 56 years old (1970) – Journalist
Mike White – 56 years old (1970) – Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
Bobby Hurley – 55 years old (1971) – Basketball player and coach
Ron Mahay – 55 years old (1971) – Baseball player and scout
Elon Musk – 55 years old (1971) – South African-born American entrepreneur
Aileen Quinn – 55 years old (1971) – Actress and singer
Alessandro Nivola – 54 years old (1972) – Actor
Rob Dyrdek – 52 years old (1974) – Skateboarder, entrepreneur, and reality television star
Seth Wescott – 50 years old (1976) – Snowboarder
Chris Spurling – 49 years old (1977) – Baseball player
Mark Stoermer – 49 years old (1977) – Bass player, songwriter, and producer
Felicia Day – 47 years old (1979) – Actress and writer
Randy McMichael – 47 years old (1979) – Football player
Brandon Phillips – 45 years old (1981) – Baseball player
Colt Hynes – 41 years old (1985) – Baseball player
Kellie Pickler – 40 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter
Terrence Williams – 39 years old (1987) – Basketball player
Markiplier – 37 years old (1989) – Internet personality
Bradley Beal – 33 years old (1993) – Basketball player
Shakur Stevenson – 29 years old (1997) – Boxer
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR JUNE 28:
- Log Cabin Day: Warm and inviting, an image away from the buzz of modern life: take a tour of log cabins in your area, and let yourself daydream of a simpler life.
- National Ceviche Day: If you’ve never tried the citrusy seafood known as ceviche, now’s the time! Just the freshest raw fish, some citrus, and a garnish of cilantro.
- National Logistics Day: Spend some time learning about the sector of business that keeps everything moving and organized: logistics. See how you can help, and apply it to your own life.
- Christopher Street Day: Celebrating diverse identities and promoting equality, an annual event advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and fostering a sense of community.
- International Body Piercing Day: Get a little daring and finally get that body piercing you’ve always dreamed about. One quick poke, and you’re on your way to the hippest fashion statement.
- National Paul Bunyan Day: Gather together with friends or family to honor the iconic story of Paul Bunyan by sharing folklore and revisiting these sometimes odd, always entertaining tales.
- National Tapioca Day: Celebrate National Tapioca Day by enjoying gluten-free tapioca puddings, bubble tea, and creative dishes that showcase this chewy, versatile cassava starch.
- Happy Heart Hugs Day: Let your guard down and get mushy by telling your long-distance family and friends how much you love them with a Happy Heart Hug, for when you can’t hug them directly.
- National Insurance Awareness Day: You never think about it until you need it, so be proactive and learn what kind of insurance you should have. Talk to an agent to find the right policies for you.
- National Fatherless Children’s Day: National Fatherless Children’s Day speaks for kids who carry quiet burdens. These are sons and daughters who wake up each day missing someone important. Not everyone sees it, but the absence of a father shapes their world in deep ways. Some deal with questions they can't quite name. Others stay quiet...
- Haybuis Armenian Herb Festival: The Haybuis Armenian Herb Festival is a joyful celebration of nature’s green wonders. It's a day dedicated to Armenia's rich variety of herbs, flowers, and plants. People gather to celebrate the healing and culinary benefits of these herbs, bringing together farmers, herbalists, and curious visitors alike. The festival not only...
- Climate‑Smart Skin Awareness Day: A vibrant moment unfolds as people learn what Climate‑Smart Skin Awareness Day is all about. It invites everyone to understand how the weather shapes skin well‑being. A simple idea: climate matters. Heat, cold, wind, or humidity—each one nudges skin to adjust. This event sparks that insight. It helps people see...
- Bumba Meu Boi: Bumba Meu Boi is a captivating festival that blends theater, dance, and music into a lively celebration of Brazilian folklore. It tells the tale of an ox, central to the narrative, which symbolizes life, death, and rebirth. The story often involves a playful, dramatic performance featuring a farmer, a pregnant...
- Insect Week: Insect Week is an exciting celebration dedicated to the fascinating world of insects. This week-long event features a variety of engaging activities and events designed to highlight the importance of insects in our lives. From art and photography competitions to educational workshops and bug hunts, there’s something for everyone to...
- ARRL Field Day: ARRL Field Day, celebrated annually, is a big day for amateur radio enthusiasts. It's not just any radio event; it's the most popular on-air gathering in the U.S. Thousands of radio operators across North America get together to connect, compete, and have fun with their radios. How to Celebrate ARRL Field Day Join...
- English Wine Week: English Wine Week is a vibrant celebration of the burgeoning English wine industry. It's an opportunity for wine enthusiasts to explore the diversity and quality of wines produced across the country. Vineyards open their doors, offering a range of activities like tours, tastings, and special events. This week is not...
- Organic Beer Fest: The Organic Beer Fest is a celebration of brews made from ingredients grown without the use of synthetic chemicals. It brings together craft brewers, musicians, food vendors, and sustainability promoters in a relaxed, friendly park setting. Visitors wander between tents full of organic beer, cider, and mead, tasting styles from crisp...
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