Why do we give black on August 28th? Here is a quick list of notable happenings on August 28 throughout history: August 28, 1833 The Slavery Abolition Act was passed in the British colonies. August 28, 1945 Jackie Robinson began his ascent to integrate Major League Baseball, eventually becoming its first African American player in 1947. August 28, 1955 14-year-old Emmett Till was murdered. The brutality of his death and acquittal of the alleged white killers further galvanized the civil rights movement. August 28, 1961 A Motown song reached the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes was its first top hit, and Motown music would go on to transform American culture. August 28, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington in Washington, D.C. August 28, 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans which had a profound and disproportionate impact on the ...