January 28 - The Day in History

January 28 : General Interest
1986: Challenger explodes

At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into space... read more


American Revolution
1777 : British plan to isolate New England
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-plan-to-isolate-new-england

Automotive
2009 : "Shuttin' Detroit Down" debuts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/shuttin-detroit-down-debuts

Civil War
1828 : Confederate General Thomas Hindman is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-hindman-born

Cold War
1964 : Soviets shoot down U.S. jet
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-shoot-down-us-jet

Crime
1958 : Killer couple strikes the heartland
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/killer-couple-strikes-the-heartland

Disaster
1986 : Challenger explodes after liftoff
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/challenger-explodes-after-liftoff

General Interest
1917 : U.S. ends search for Pancho Villa
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-ends-search-for-pancho-villa
1997 : Afrikaner police admit to killing Stephen Biko
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/afrikaner-police-admit-to-killing-stephen-biko

Hollywood
2006 : Clint Eastwood honored by Directors Guild of America
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/clint-eastwood-honored-by-directors-guild-of-america

Literary
1873 : Colette is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/colette-is-born

Music
1985 : American recording artists gather to record "We Are the World"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-recording-artists-gather-to-record-quotwe-are-the-worldquot

Old West
1855 : First train crosses the Panamanian isthmus
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-train-crosses-the-panamanian-isthmus

Presidential
1916 : Wilson nominates Brandeis to the Supreme Court
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wilson-nominates-brandeis-to-the-supreme-court

Sports
1959 : Vince Lombardi hired as Packers coach
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vince-lombardi-hired-as-packers-coach

Vietnam War
1973 : Cease-fire goes into effect
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cease-fire-goes-into-effect
1975 : Ford asks for additional aid
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ford-asks-for-additional-aid

World War I
1915 : Germans sink American merchant ship
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-sink-american-merchant-ship

World War II
1945 : Burma Road is reopened
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burma-road-is-reopened