On This Day — February 26

🕰️ Notable Events on February 26

• 2013 — A hot air balloon crashes near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — A train derails in Burlington, Ontario, Canada killing at least three people and injuring 45. Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — The New York Philharmonic performs in Pyongyang, North Korea; this is the first event of its kind to take place in North Korea. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Keddies, the Southend-on-Sea department store closes it doors after 104 years of trading. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — The UK's oldest investment banking institute, Barings Bank, collapses after a rogue securities broker Nick Leeson loses $1.4 billion by speculating on the Singapore International Monetary Exchange using futures contracts. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over a thousand. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Nagorno-Karabakh War: Khojaly Massacre: Armenian armed forces open fire on Azeri civilians at a military post outside the town of Khojaly leaving hundreds dead. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Iran-Contra affair: The Tower Commission rebukes President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff. Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Egypt and Israel establish full diplomatic relations. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — The Superliner railcar enters revenue service with Amtrak. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — U.N. Secretary-General U Thant signs United Nations proclamation of the vernal equinox as Earth Day. Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Apollo program: Launch of AS-201, the first flight of the Saturn IB rocket Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — A New York-bound Alitalia airliner crashes into a cemetery in Shannon, Ireland, shortly after takeoff, killing 34 of the 52 persons on board. Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada. Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — In the February 26 Incident, young Japanese military officers attempt to stage a coup against the government. Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Adolf Hitler orders the Luftwaffe to be re-formed, violating the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Robert Watson-Watt carries out a demonstration near Daventry which leads directly to the development of radar in the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — President Calvin Coolidge signs an executive order establishing the 96,000 acre Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — President Woodrow Wilson signs an act of Congress establishing the Grand Canyon National Park. Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — HMHS Britannic, sister to the RMS Titanic, is launched at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Kinemacolor, the first successful color motion picture process, is first shown to the general public at the Palace Theatre in London. Wikipedia ↗
• 1876 — Japan and Korea sign a treaty granting Japanese citizens extraterritoriality rights, opening three ports to Japanese trade, and ending Korea's status as a tributary state of Qing dynasty China. Wikipedia ↗
• 1815 — Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from Elba. Wikipedia ↗
• 1794 — The first Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen burns down. Wikipedia ↗
• 1616 — Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun. Wikipedia ↗
• 1266 — Battle of Benevento: An army led by Charles, Count of Anjou, defeats a combined German and Sicilian force led by Manfred, King of Sicily. Manfred is killed in the battle and Pope Clement IV invests Charles as king of Sicily and Naples. Wikipedia ↗
• 1233 — Mongol-Jin War: The Mongols capture Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty, after besieging it for months. Wikipedia ↗
• 364 — Valentinian I is proclaimed Roman emperor. Wikipedia ↗
• Epoch (origin) of Ptolemy's Nabonassar Era. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on February 26

• 1997 — Reghan Tumilty, Scottish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Michael Chee Kam, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Kateřina Cachová, Czech heptathlete Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Takanoiwa Yoshimori, Mongolian sumo wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Gabriel Obertan, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Hannah Kearney, American skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Fernando Llorente, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Diego Ribas da Cunha, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Natalia Lafourcade, Mexican singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Beren Saat, Turkish actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Jerome Harrison, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Pepe, Brazilian-Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Li Na, Chinese tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Matt Prior, South African-English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Nate Ruess, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Kertus Davis, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Oh Seung-bum, South Korean footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Steve Blake, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Corinne Bailey Rae, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Steve Evans, Welsh footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Pedro Mendes, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Abdoulaye Faye, Senegalese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Marty Reasoner, American ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Tim Thomas, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Shane Williams, Welsh rugby union player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Nalini Anantharaman, French mathematician Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Chad Urmston, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Sébastien Loeb, French race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Filipina television actress, host and equestrienne Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Marshall Faulk, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Norwegian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Jenny Thompson, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Erykah Badu, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Max Martin, Swedish-American record producer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Hélène Segara, French singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Mark Harper, English accountant and politician, Minister of State for Immigration Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Hitoshi Sakimoto, Japanese composer and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Mark Carroll, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Kazuyoshi Miura, Japanese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Garry Conille, Haitian physician and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Haiti Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Marc Fortier, French-Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Najwa Karam, Lebanese singer. Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — James Mitchell, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Ahn Cheol-soo, South Korean physician, academic, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Jaz Coleman, English singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Rolando Blackman, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkish political scientist, academic, and politician, 37th Prime Minister of Turkey Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Paul Ackford, English rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Greg Germann, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Susan Helms, American general, engineer, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Tim Kaine, American lawyer and politician, 70th Governor of Virginia Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — David Beasley, American lawyer and politician, 113th Governor of South Carolina Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Joe Mullen, American ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Keena Rothhammer, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Michel Houellebecq, French author, poet, screenwriter, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Andreas Maislinger, Austrian historian and academic, founded the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Prince Ernst August of Hanover Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish politician, 12th President of Turkey Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Michael Bolton, American singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Steve Bell, English cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Wayne Goss, Australian lawyer and politician, 34th Premier of Queensland (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Jonathan Cain, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Helen Clark, New Zealand academic and politician, 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Simon Crean, Australian trade union leader and politician, 14th Australian Minister for the Arts Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Elizabeth George, American author and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Emma Kirkby, English soprano Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Sharyn McCrumb, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Sandie Shaw, English singer and psychotherapist Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Colin Bell, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Ahmed Zewail, Egyptian-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Peter Brock, Australian race car driver (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Marta Kristen, Norwegian-American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Mitch Ryder, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Christopher Hope, South African author and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Ronald Lauder, American businessman and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Austria Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Paul Cotton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Bill Duke, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Dante Ferretti, Italian art director and costume designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Bob "The Bear" Hite, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Jozef Adamec, Slovak footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Oldřich Kulhánek, Czech painter, illustrator, and stage designer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Josephine Tewson, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Paul Dickson, American football player and coach (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — José Policarpo, Portuguese cardinal (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, Algerian director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — James Goldsmith, French-British businessman and politician (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Johnny Cash, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Ally MacLeod, Scottish footballer and manager (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Robert Novak, American journalist and author (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Fats Domino, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Ariel Sharon, Israeli general and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Israel (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Tom Kennedy, American game show host and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Doris Belack, American actress (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Verne Gagne, American football player, wrestler, and trainer (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Everton Weekes, Barbadian cricketer and referee Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Noboru Takeshita, Japanese soldier and politician, 74th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Marc Bucci, American composer, lyricist, and dramatist (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Bill Johnston, Australian cricketer and businessman (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Margaret Leighton, English actress (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Betty Hutton, American actress and singer (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Danny Gardella, American baseball player and trainer (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Tony Randall, American actor, director, and producer (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist and author (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Mason Adams, American actor (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Pyotr Masherov, Leader of Soviet Belarus from 1965 to 1980 (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Otis R. Bowen, American physician and politician, 44th Governor of Indiana (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Theodore Sturgeon, American author and critic (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Jackie Gleason, American actor and singer (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Robert Alda, American actor, singer, and director (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — George Barker, English author and poet (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Dane Clark, American actor and director (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Tarō Okamoto, Japanese painter and sculptor (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Vic Woodley, English footballer (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Fanny Cradock, English chef, author, and critic (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Talal of Jordan (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Tex Avery, American animator, producer, and voice actor (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Leela Majumdar, Indian author and academic (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Jean-Pierre Wimille, French race car driver (d. 1949) Wikipedia ↗
• 1906 — Madeleine Carroll, English actress (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Giulio Natta, Italian chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Orde Wingate, English general (d. 1944) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Jean Bruller, French author and illustrator, co-founded Les Éditions de Minuit (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Halina Konopacka, Polish discus thrower and poet (d. 1989) [1] Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Fritz Wiessner, German-American mountaineer (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Max Petitpierre, Swiss jurist and politician, 54th President of the Swiss Confederation (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — Andrei Zhdanov, Ukrainian-Russian civil servant and politician (d. 1948) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Wallace Fard Muhammad, American religious leader, founded the Nation of Islam (disappeared 1934) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Dorothy Whipple, English novelist (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — Grover Cleveland Alexander, American baseball player and coach (d. 1950) Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — William Frawley, American actor and vaudevillian (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — Stefan Grabiński, Polish author and educator (d. 1936) Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Aleksandras Stulginskis, Lithuanian farmer and politician, 2nd President of Lithuania (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1882 — Husband E. Kimmel, American admiral (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1881 — Janus Djurhuus, Faroese poet (d. 1948) Wikipedia ↗
• 1880 — Kenneth Edgeworth, Irish astronomer (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
• 1879 — Frank Bridge, English viola player and composer (d. 1941) Wikipedia ↗
• 1877 — Rudolph Dirks, German-American illustrator (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1866 — Herbert Henry Dow, Canadian-American businessman, founded the Dow Chemical Company (d. 1930) Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — Ferdinand I of Bulgaria (d. 1948) Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — Nadezhda Krupskaya, Russian soldier and politician (d. 1939) Wikipedia ↗
• 1857 — Émile Coué, French psychologist and pharmacist (d. 1926) Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — John Harvey Kellogg, American surgeon, co-created Corn flakes (d. 1943) Wikipedia ↗
• 1846 — Buffalo Bill, American soldier and hunter (d. 1917) Wikipedia ↗
• 1842 — Camille Flammarion, French astronomer and author (d. 1925) Wikipedia ↗
• 1829 — Levi Strauss, German-American fashion designer, founded Levi Strauss & Co. (d. 1902) Wikipedia ↗
• 1808 — Honoré Daumier, French painter, illustrator, and sculptor (d. 1879) Wikipedia ↗
• 1808 — Nathan Kelley, American architect, designed the Ohio Statehouse (d. 1871) Wikipedia ↗
• 1802 — Victor Hugo, French author, poet, and playwright (d. 1885) Wikipedia ↗
• 1799 — Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron, French physicist and engineer (d. 1864) Wikipedia ↗
• 1786 — François Arago, French mathematician and politician, 25th Prime Minister of France (d. 1853) Wikipedia ↗
• 1777 — Matija Nenadović, Serbian priest, historian, and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Serbia (d. 1854) Wikipedia ↗
• 1770 — Anton Reicha, Bohemian composer and flautist (d. 1836) Wikipedia ↗
• 1746 — Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (d. 1806) Wikipedia ↗
• 1720 — Gian Francesco Albani, Italian cardinal (d. 1803) Wikipedia ↗
• 1718 — Johan Ernst Gunnerus, Norwegian bishop, botanist and zoologist (d. 1773) Wikipedia ↗
• 1715 — Claude Adrien Helvétius, French philosopher (d. 1771) Wikipedia ↗
• 1677 — Nicola Fago, Italian composer and teacher (d. 1745) Wikipedia ↗
• 1672 — Antoine Augustin Calmet, French monk and theologian (d. 1757) Wikipedia ↗
• 1671 — Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, English philosopher and politician (d. 1713) Wikipedia ↗
• 1629 — Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, Scottish peer (d. 1685) Wikipedia ↗
• 1587 — Stefano Landi, Italian composer and educator (d. 1639) Wikipedia ↗
• 1584 — Albert VI, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1666) Wikipedia ↗
• 1564 — Christopher Marlowe, English playwright, poet and translator (d. 1593) Wikipedia ↗
• 1416 — Christopher of Bavaria (d. 1448) Wikipedia ↗
• 1361 — Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia (d. 1419) Wikipedia ↗

🕯️ Notable Deaths on February 26

• 2017 — Joseph Wapner, American lieutenant and judge (b. 1919) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Andy Bathgate, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (b. 1932) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Don Getty, Canadian football player and politician, 11th Premier of Alberta (b. 1933) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — Sheppard Frere, English historian and archaeologist (b. 1916) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — Theodore Hesburgh, American priest, theologian, educator, and academic (b. 1917) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — Earl Lloyd, American basketball player and coach (b. 1928) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on February 26 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on February 26

✡️ Religious Observances

• Hindu: Maha Shivratri