1. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was signed into law on July 28, 1854. This act allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to determine for themselves whether they wanted to allow or prohibit slavery within their borders, leading to violent conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas" in the years leading up to the Civil War.

2. On July 28, 1925, the Scopes Monkey Trial began in Tennessee, in which a high school science teacher was accused of teaching evolution. Many Kansans at the time were also involved in the debate over whether evolution should be taught in schools, with the infamous Scopes trial marking a turning point in the national conversation.

3. On July 28, 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building in New York City, killing 14 people. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel William Smith, had taken off from a Kansas airfield and was flying in thick fog when he lost his bearings.

4. The Kansas City Royals played their first game in Kansas City on July 28, 1969, after moving from their previous home in Missouri. The Royals went on to win their inaugural game against the Minnesota Twins.

5. On July 28, 2008, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performed at the Lied Center in Lawrence, Kansas. This renowned dance company was founded by Alvin Ailey, who grew up in Rogers, Texas and is considered one of the most influential figures in modern dance history.