1. In 1893, the controversial overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom took place on January 28. A group of American businessmen, with the support of the US government and military, forced Queen Liliʻuokalani to abdicate her throne and establish a provisional government.

2. January 28 is also known as Kūka‘ilimoku Day in Hawaii, a holiday established to honor the war god Kūka‘ilimoku, who was revered by Kamehameha I and used to help unite the Hawaiian Islands under his rule.

3. On January 28, 1960, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admission Act, which made Hawaii the 50th state in the United States. This was a significant moment in Hawaii's history, as it marked the end of Hawaii's territorial status and the beginning of its new political identity.

4. In 1973, Hawaii's first female Representative to Congress, Patsy Mink, introduced the Education Amendments Act of 1974 on January 28. This groundbreaking legislation prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal funds.

5. January 28, 1986 was a tragic day in Hawaii and worldwide history when the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven on board. Among the crew was Ellison Onizuka, the first person of Asian descent to fly in space and a native of Hawaii, who is memorialized at the Ellison Onizuka Space Center in Kona.