What Happened on December 28?

December 28 is National Card Playing Day — shuffle, deal, and play together — on the same date the Lumière brothers projected movies for paying crowds in 1895, Iowa became a state in 1846, and the Endangered Species Act was signed in 1973.

• 1065 — Westminster Abbey is consecrated in London

  On December 28, 1065, Edward the Confessor's rebuilt Westminster Abbey was consecrated — days before the king died. Read the full story →

• 1612 — Galileo records a point of light later identified as Neptune

  On December 28, 1612, Galileo Galilei noted a 'star' near Jupiter that astronomers now believe was the planet Neptune. Read the full story →

• 1846 — Iowa becomes the 29th U.S. state

  On December 28, 1846, Iowa joined the Union as the twenty-ninth state. Read the full story →

• 1895 — The Lumière brothers hold the first commercial movie screening

  On December 28, 1895, in Paris, Auguste and Louis Lumière charged admission to watch short films — often called the birth of commercial cinema. Read the full story →

• 1908 — A catastrophic earthquake strikes Messina, Italy

  On December 28, 1908, a powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated Messina and Reggio Calabria, killing tens of thousands. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Denzel Washington (1954) · Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) · Stan Lee (1922–2018) · Maggie Smith (1934–2024)

Days & observances

National Card Playing Day · National Chocolate Day · Pledge of Allegiance Day · Holy Innocents' Day