1. On February 28, 1865, Union General William T. Sherman and his troops reached Fayetteville, North Carolina during their infamous "March to the Sea" campaign. This was a significant moment in the Civil War, as it marked the end of Confederate resistance in eastern North Carolina.

2. In 1942, a devastating tornado tore through the town of Beaufort, North Carolina on February 28, killing nine people and injuring dozens more. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that affected several states in the southeastern US.

3. On February 28, 1896, the Cary Academy, a private school in Cary, North Carolina, held its first classes. The school has since become one of the most prestigious in the state, known for its rigorous academics and successful sports programs.

4. In 1983, the North Carolina State basketball team defeated the University of Virginia on February 28 to secure the ACC regular season title. The Wolfpack went on to win the national championship that year, led by All-American guard Sidney Lowe.

5. February 28 is also the birthday of North Carolina-born astronaut Ronald McNair, who was tragically killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. McNair grew up in Lake City and later earned a PhD in physics from MIT before becoming one of the first African Americans to fly in space.