On this day: August 28

/on/august-28

1989 • neutral • 4 views

Secret talks on German reunification begin

Interior of a government meeting room in the late 1980s, with papers, maps and briefcases on a long table; low-key lighting suggests confidential talks.

On 28 August 1989, behind closed doors in Bonn and in informal meetings in Europe, officials and intermediaries began discreet discussions about the possibility of German reunification amid accelerating political change in East Germany and across Eastern Europe.

Read

1995 • neutral • 4 views

Government Shuts Down as 1995 Budget Standoff Collapses

Parked government agency building with closed gates and a small group of people outside; signage indicates limited services and a U.S. flag flies nearby.

On August 28, 1995, the U.S. federal government entered a shutdown after Congress and President Clinton failed to agree on spending legislation during a high-stakes budget dispute between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democratic administration.

Read

1963 • neutral • 4 views

Martin Luther King Jr. Delivers 'I Have a Dream' at 1963 March on Washington

Crowd gathered on the National Mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington; stage and speakers' platform visible with large assemblage of marchers extending across the Mall.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the 'I Have a Dream' address during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a pivotal moment in the U.S. civil rights movement that helped focus national attention on racial inequality and segregation.

Read