9 stories from 1776 to 1978, written as the news broke.
The Yesterday Times front page for June 28.
On June 28, an archduke’s assassination, a police raid igniting gay resistance, and a tank-led German offensive converge on a single day of upheaval.
June 28 in History
Foreign Despatch
1914 — Archduke and Wife Shot Dead
Gavrilo Princip, 19, kills heir and wife on their 14th anniversary; six-member plot linked to Serbian nationalists.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie in Sarajevo shortly before their fatal assassination — Jaroslav Bruner-Dvořák
SARAJEVO, June 28 — The Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead this morning while driving through this city. Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb and a member of the revolutionary band Young Bosnia, fired at close range, killing both within minutes. The day marked the 14th anniversary of their morganatic marriage. Princip was one of a six-member team, all but one of them Bosnian Serbs, coordinated by Danilo Ilić, and aided by the Black Hand, a Serbian secret nationalist group, with support from Dragutin Dimitrijević.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were shot at close range while being driven through Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
The assassin was 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb member of the revolutionary group Young Bosnia.
Princip was part of a six-member assassination team coordinated by Danilo Ilić, all but one being Bosnian Serbs.
The assassination team was helped by the Black Hand, a Serbian secret nationalist group, with support from Dragutin Dimitrijević.
The assassination precipitated the July Crisis, leading to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia and the start of World War I.
City Desk
1969 — Police Raid on Greenwich Bar Sets Off Gay
Stonewall Inn patrons resist arrest — crowd battles officers in the streets — demonstrations continue through the night
The Stonewall Inn, site of the 1969 demonstrations that sparked the gay rights movement — Antigng
NEW YORK, June 28 — A police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village bar popular with gay men, erupted into a full-scale riot on Friday night. Officers, expecting a large Friday crowd, quickly lost control as patrons and onlookers fought back, and the demonstrations continued for hours.
The Stonewall Inn was owned by four mafiosos associated with the Genovese crime family, who paid $3,500 for the bar in 1966.
The police raid that sparked the riots occurred late on Friday night, June 28, 1969, when crowd sizes were expected to be at their highest.
Officers quickly lost control of the situation at the Stonewall Inn and attracted a crowd that was incited to riot.
The Stonewall Inn was a popular hangout for gay men, particularly for youth and those on the fringes of the gay community.
The bar went out of business shortly after the riots, and the two buildings were divided and leased to various businesses over the years.
Theatre and Music
1841 — New Ballet 'Giselle' Performed in Paris
Adam's work, with Grisi in the title role, given at the Académie Royale — receipts double those of 1839
PARIS, June 28 — The new ballet 'Giselle,' by the composer Adolphe Adam, was first performed this evening at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique, preceded by the third act of Rossini's 'Mosè in Egitto.' The Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi originated the title role, to the acclaim of the audience.
Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi originated the title role of Giselle at its premiere on 28 June 1841.
The ballet was preceded by the third act of Rossini's opera Mosè in Egitto, typical of theatrical practices at the time.
Giselle earned 6,500 French francs between June and September 1841, twice the amount for the same period in 1839.
Théophile Gautier wrote in an 1841 article that the Wilis would make a 'pretty ballet' after reading Heinrich Heine's description.
A silk cloth called 'façonné Giselle' was manufactured, and a milliner sold an artificial flower named 'Giselle'.
War Desk
1942 — Germans Open Southern Offensive With Tanks and Dive Bombers
Case Blue drives on Baku and Stalingrad as Army Group South advances 48 kilometres in first day
German Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers launch the Case Blue offensive in 1942 — Richard Opitz
SOUTHERN RUSSIA, June 28 — The roar of Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers filled the dawn sky as the Wehrmacht launched its long-awaited summer offensive, Case Blue. Striking from Army Group South, the Germans advanced 48 kilometers on the first day, their columns of 1,934 tanks and 2,035 aircraft supporting 1,570,287 men.
Case Blue was the Wehrmacht's plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942.
The offensive aimed to capture the oil fields of Baku, Grozny and Maikop to re-supply German fuel stocks and deny them to the Soviet Union.
Army Group South, with 1,570,287 men, 2,035 Luftwaffe aircraft, and 1,934 tanks, advanced 48 kilometers on the first day.
The operation involved a two-pronged attack: Operation Edelweiss toward Baku and Operation Fischreiher toward Stalingrad along the Don River.
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, produced 80 percent of the Soviet Union's oil—about 24 million tons in 1942 alone.
Provincial Intelligence
1776 — Charleston Saved as Militia Repels British
Enemy withdraws after failing to take Sullivan's Island
CHARLESTON, June 28 — The deliverance of this capital from the King's arms stands as the foremost consequence of this day's action, for the militia of the Province of South Carolina hath repelled the British attack upon our city. The expedition, landing on Sullivan's Island, did assault with great fury, yet found our countrymen resolute. The cannonade continued through the hours, but the enemy, unable to force the position, hath withdrawn. Our losses are reported small, the victory complete. The Province remains in our hands, and the spirit of resistance prevails.
A British expedition launched an attack on Charleston in the Battle of Sullivan's Island on June 28, 1776, but it failed.
The Colonies
1880 — Kelly Captured After Glenrowan Siege
Bushranger's armour pierced; sole survivor of gang lies wounded
MELBOURNE, June 28 — Ned Kelly, the bushranger whose name loomed large in colonial crime, was captured at Glenrowan after a twelve-hour gun battle. Clad in a homemade suit of bulletproof armour fashioned from plough mouldboards, he was the only gang member to survive the siege. Police, tipped off about the plan to derail and ambush a train, surrounded the hotel where the gang held dozens of hostages. Kelly, severely wounded by police fire, was taken into custody. His armour, scarred by bullets, drew curious stares as police escorted him from the wrecked hotel.
Ned Kelly was the only gang member to survive the 12-hour siege at Glenrowan.
Kelly wore a homemade suit of bulletproof armour fashioned from plough mouldboards during the final shootout.
The gang held dozens of hostages in a hotel during the siege at Glenrowan.
Kelly was severely wounded by police fire and captured after the gun battle.
The police were tipped off about the gang's plan to derail and ambush a police train.
Polish Desk
1956 — Poznan Workers' Protest Crushed; Tanks Fire on 100,000
Army and Security Corps suppress strike — death toll 57 to 100, a boy among the slain
POZNAN, June 28 — The workers of the Joseph Stalin Metal Industries, some 80 percent of whom had lost bonus pay through raised quotas, began a strike at 6:30 a.m. that swelled into a protest of 100,000 near the Ministry of Public Security. Singing 'The Internationale' and carrying banners reading 'We demand bread,' the crowd demanded compensation and freedoms. General Stanislav Poplavsky's 10,000 soldiers and about 400 tanks fired on the civilians. The death toll is estimated from 57 to over a hundred, including 13-year-old Romek Strzalkowski. The protest has been violently repressed.
A crowd of approximately 100,000 people gathered near the local Ministry of Public Security building in Poznań.
About 400 tanks and 10,000 soldiers under General Stanislav Poplavsky fired on protesting civilians.
The death toll is estimated from 57 to over a hundred people, including 13-year-old boy Romek Strzałkowski.
On 28 June 1956, a spontaneous strike started at 6:30 a.m. at the Joseph Stalin Metal Industries in Poznań.
Around 80% of workers, who had lost bonus pay due to raised work quotas, marched demanding compensation and freedoms.
Musical Instruments
1846 — Sax Patents New Horn; Berlioz Praises Invention
Belgian musician secures rights to saxophone — two families of seven instruments designed for band and orchestra
PARIS, June 28 — By a patent granted this day, Adolphe Sax, the Belgian musician, hath secured his design of the saxophone, an instrument conceived for the orchestra and the military band. Already in 1842, the composer Hector Berlioz wrote approvingly of the new voice. Sax hath devised two groups of seven instruments each, the one pitched in C and F, the other in B-flat and E-flat. His range extends from sopranino to subcontrabass, though not all have yet been built. The patent confirms his claim to a family of horns that promises to enrich the concert hall.
Adolphe Sax patented the saxophone on 28 June 1846.
By 1846 Sax had designed saxophones ranging from sopranino to subcontrabass, though not all were built.
Sax invented two groups of seven instruments each, one in C and F and the other in B♭ and E♭.
Composer Hector Berlioz wrote approvingly of the new instrument in 1842.
Sax intended the saxophone for use in orchestras and military bands.
Supreme Court Report
1978 — High Court Bars Quotas but Upholds Affirmative Action in UC Davis Case
Racial quotas in admissions ruled impermissible — race may remain a factor — Bakke admitted to medical school
WASHINGTON, June 28 — The Supreme Court today barred rigid racial quotas in college admissions but ruled that affirmative-action programs favoring minorities are constitutional, in a landmark decision in the case of Allan Bakke versus the University of California. The Court held that the specific quota at the UC Davis medical school, which reserved 16 of 100 places for minority applicants, was impermissible, but that race could be considered as one factor among several in admitting students. Bakke, an engineer and former Marine officer, was ordered admitted. The Court's ruling was announced this morning. Bakke is expected to enroll at Davis in the fall, and the university must pay $183,089 in legal fees. The decision ends a four-year legal battle that began when Bakke was rejected by the school twice. The four other justices who supported Bakke’s admission joined in separate opinions, leaving the Court split 5-4 on the central question. Bakke, now 38, said he planned to begin his medical studies in September, telling reporters he was relieved the long fight had ended.
The Supreme Court ruled that specific racial quotas, such as the 16 out of 100 seats set aside by UC Davis, were impermissible.
The court upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission.
The decision was announced on June 28, 1978.
Allan Bakke, an engineer and former Marine officer, was admitted to UC Davis medical school after the ruling.
Bakke enrolled on September 25, 1978, stating 'I am happy to be here'.
Born on June 28
1577 — Peter Paul Rubens, Flemish painter, born, Peter Paul Rubens, Flemish painter and diplomat (died 1640)
1926 — Mel Brooks, comedic actor and filmmaker, born, Mel Brooks, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1966 — John Cusack, American actor, born, John Cusack, American actor and screenwriter
1873 — Alexis Carrel, Nobel-winning surgeon, born, Alexis Carrel, French surgeon and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1944)
1928 — Hans Blix, Swedish diplomat and IAEA head, born, Hans Blix, Swedish politician and diplomat, 33rd Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs
1931 — Junior Johnson, NASCAR driver and legend, born, Junior Johnson, American race car driver (died 2019)
1945 — Raul Seixas, Brazilian rock musician, born, Raul Seixas, Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 1989)
Quote of the Day
“Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents.” — Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
June 28 History Quiz
Who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914?
Gavrilo Princip
What event is commemorated by the Stonewall Inn demonstrations of June 28, 1969?
Gay rights movement
What instrument did Adolphe Sax patent on June 28, 1846?
