On This Day in History
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Learn what happened on this day in history. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths for any date, all sourced from Wikipedia.
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What Happened On This Day in History
Find out what happened on this day in history through today's featured event, latest article, famous birthday, notable death, holidays and observances, your birthday in history, and this month in history. Each card opens the complete history page.
Jordan and Israel sign a peace treaty
Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in the Arava valley, ending a state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Read & Quiz
Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel is an American painter and filmmaker. In the 1980s, he received international attention for his "plate paintings"—with broken ceramic plates set onto large-scale paintings.
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Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel was an American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian. For her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939), she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first African American to win an Oscar.
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Holidays and Observances Today
National and international holidays on October 26, including Angam Day (Nauru).
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What Happened on Your Birthday?
Enter your birth date to see the events, famous birthdays and holidays of your birthday.
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October in History
Major events, famous birthdays and holidays of October, day by day.
See October in HistoryDaily History Challenge
Put Today's Events in Order
Four events that happened on this day, in four different years. Tap them from the oldest to the newest, you have three tries, then share your result. A new puzzle every day.
Play Today's ChallengeHolidays and Observances Today
International days, national holidays and religious feast days that fall on today's date. Each card opens the holiday in the full holidays calendar. See all 22 holidays today.
National Day, celebrates the anniversary of the Declaration of Neutrality in 1955. (Austria)
Austrian culture is characterised by historical and modern influences, including a history of interaction primarily between Celtic, Roman, Slavic and…
Read moreIntersex Awareness Day
Awareness day observed annually on October 26
Read moreAlfred the Great (Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church)
King of Wessex (871 – c. 886); King of the Anglo-Saxons (c. 886 – 899)
Read moreBlessed Celine Borzecka
Recognition by the Catholic Church of a holy person
Read morePope Evaristus (Aristus)
Head of the Catholic Church from c. 99 to c. 107
Read moreFulk of Pavia (Roman Catholic Church)
Italian Catholic canon regular and prelate
Read morePhilipp Nicolai, Johann Heermann and Paul Gerhardt (Lutheran Church)
German Lutheran pastor and hymnwriter (1556–1608)
Read moreRusticus of Narbonne
Rusticus of Narbonne was a monk of the Lérins Abbey and bishop of Narbonne; he was considered a Catholic saint of Gaul.
Read moreWitta (Albinus) of Büraburg
Witta of Büraburg was one of the early Anglo-Saxon missionaries in Hesse and Thuringia in central Germany, disciple and companion of Saints Boniface and…
Read moreEastern Orthodox liturgics
Day in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar
Read moreWhat Happened This Month
October in History
See what happened in October in history, from the battles, treaties and discoveries that shaped the world to the famous October birthdays and holidays, with a page for every day of the month.
See October in HistoryOn This Day in History Articles
A new history article is published every day covering one significant event from the past. Each post explores the causes, key figures, immediate impact, and the legacy that still resonates in the world today.
Jordan and Israel sign a peace treaty
Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in the Arava valley, ending a state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Read More
How did Robert Card's spree end in Lisbon, Maine?
Robert Card killed 18 people and wounded 13 in two Lewiston, Maine locations. Police found him dead in Lisbon 49 hours later.
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New York Stock Exchange records record share volume
Black Thursday saw a record 12.9 million shares traded on the NYSE, marking the first day of the 1929 stock market panic.
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How did the 1850 Worcester convention expand women's rights?
The first National Women's Rights Convention began in Worcester, Massachusetts, combining male and female leadership to address voting and property rights.
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How did the ACT pass same-sex marriage in 2013?
The ACT Legislative Assembly passed the Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013, making the territory the first Australian jurisdiction to legalize…
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In Canada, the 2019 Canadian federal election ends
The 2019 Canadian federal election concluded on October 21, 2019, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in office heading a Liberal minority government.
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How did Nixon fire Cox after two AGs resigned?
Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox. Attorney General Richardson and Deputy AG Ruckelshaus refused and resigned in protest.
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What Happened at the First Battle of Ypres in 1914?
The First Battle of Ypres began on October 19, 1914, as part of the Race to the Sea. German, French, Belgian, and British forces fought around Ypres…
Read MoreOur blog
Explore the Blog
A new history article every day covering one major event, with sourced facts and key figures behind it.
Visit the BlogHistory in 60 Seconds
Short videos covering one significant historical event each, told through archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day alongside the daily article.
How did Nixon fire Cox after two AGs resigned?
Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox. Attorney General Richards...
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What Happened at the First Battle of Ypres in 1914?
The First Battle of Ypres began on October 19, 1914, as part of the Race to the Sea. Ge...
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How did Smith and Carlos protest during the 1968 ant...
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the US national anthem at...
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How did Yang Liwei complete China's first solo orbit...
Shenzhou 5 launched astronaut Yang Liwei into orbit, making China the third nation to i...
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How did Boston overcome a 3-1 deficit in 1903?
The Boston Americans, representing the American League, faced the Pittsburgh Pirates, t...
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2022 Bratislava shooting, killing 3 and injuring one
A 19-year-old gunman killed two people and injured one outside a gay bar in Bratislava ...
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What Happened at the Battle of Angamos in 1879?
On 8 October 1879 the Chilean Navy, under Riveros and Latorre, crushed the Peruvian mon...
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How was asteroid 2008 TC3 detected before it hit Earth?
On October 7, 2008, the 4.1‑meter asteroid 2008 TC3 entered Earth’s atmosphere over Sud...
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Historical events told through archival imagery and narration, daily.
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Explore History by Date
Click any date on the calendar to browse historical events, famous birthdays, and notable deaths from that day. Move between months to explore thousands of years of recorded history.
October
On This Day, October 26
- 2015: A 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes in the Hindu Kush mountain range in South Asia, killing 399 people and leaving 2,536 people injured.
- 2012: Microsoft made a public release of Windows 8 and made it available on new PCs.
- 2004: Rockstar Games releases Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the PlayStation 2 in North America, which sold 12 million units for the PS2, becoming the console's best-selling video game.
- 2003: The Cedar Fire, the third-largest wildfire in California history, kills 15 people, consumes 250,000 acres (1,000 km2), and destroys 2,200 homes around San Diego.
- 2002: Approximately 50 Chechen terrorists and 150 hostages die when Russian special forces troops storm a theater building in Moscow, which had been occupied by the terrorists during a musical performance three days before.
thisDay.info is a free historical events calendar where you can explore what happened on any date in history. It covers wars, discoveries, natural disasters, famous birthdays and deaths, and landmark moments in world history, all sourced from Wikipedia.
Every day a new article is published covering one significant historical event from that calendar date. Each article includes background context, key figures, a Did You Know section, a Quick Facts block, and an analysis of the lasting impact on the world. A short quiz at the end lets you test what you have learned.
All historical events, birthdays, and deaths are sourced from Wikipedia's On This Day archives. Wikipedia is one of the most thorough and regularly updated references for world history, covering events from ancient civilizations right through to the present day on every continent.
Yes. Use the calendar on this page to go to any date of the year. Clicking a date opens a page listing everything notable that happened on that day in history, from ancient times right through to recent decades.
History in 60 Seconds is a short video series published on YouTube Shorts. Each video tells the story of one historical event using archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day so you can keep up with this day in history wherever you are.
A new article and a new video are published every single day. The events calendar is always current with today's On This Day data from Wikipedia. Famous birthdays and notable deaths for the current date load every time you visit the site.
Yes, thisDay.info is completely free. There is no account, no subscription, and no paywall. Every article, video, event listing, and the full historical calendar are open to everyone and will stay that way.
Yes. Every date page includes a list of notable people born or who died on that day, with links to their Wikipedia biographies. You can also browse person pages on thisDay.info to read about the historical figures who appear in our daily articles.
thisDay.info covers all major topics in world history including wars and conflicts, political revolutions, scientific discoveries, space exploration, natural disasters, cultural milestones, and sporting achievements. Events range from ancient history through to the 21st century, covering every part of the world.
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