1. On January 28, 1878, the first issue of the Galveston Daily News was published. The newspaper quickly became one of the most important sources of news in Texas and the southern United States, and it is still published today.

2. On January 28, 1918, a deadly explosion occurred at a munitions plant in Karnes County, Texas. The explosion killed 50 people and injured hundreds more, making it one of the worst industrial accidents in Texas history.

3. On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after launch, killing all seven crew members, including Texas native Ronald McNair. McNair, a physicist and saxophonist, was the second African-American to fly in space.

4. On January 28, 1994, a massive tornado outbreak occurred in north-central Texas, leaving a trail of destruction that stretched for more than 100 miles. The tornadoes killed nine people and caused millions of dollars in damage.

5. On January 28, 2020, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Bryant, who spent much of his childhood in Italy, had strong ties to Texas and frequently played against the Houston Rockets during his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.