Did you know
A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first female elected speaker and the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress, heading the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023.
Famous Birthdays on March 26
1940 — Nancy Pelosi
American lawyer and politician, 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
March 26 has 261 recorded notable births across history, from 1516 to 2007. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Famous Birthdays
261 source records
1516 – 2007
Aries
Today in history
Major events on March 26
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1971 East Pakistan, then a province of Pakistan, declares its independence from Pakistan to form Bangladesh; the Bangladesh War of Independence begins. Source
- 1700 William Dampier is the first European to circumnavigate New Britain, discovering it is an island (which he names Nova Britannia) rather than part of New Guinea. Source
- 1640 The Royal Academy of Turku, the first university of Finland, is founded in the city of Turku by Queen Christina of Sweden at the proposal of Count Per Brahe. Source
- 1917 World War I: First Battle of Gaza: British troops are halted after 17,000 Turks block their advance. Source
Did you know
Leonard Simon Nimoy was an American actor and director, famous for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for over 40 years.
Did you know
Amy Smart's first role in film was in Martin Kunert's anthology horror film Campfire Tales, followed by a minor part in Starship Troopers, directed by Paul Verhoeven.
Did you know
In 1995 he was named the first Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, a position he held until 2008, and is on the advisory board of the University of Austin.
Did you know
The band's first three albums – Altars of Madness (1989), Blessed Are the Sick (1991), and Covenant (1993) – are considered classics in the death metal genre.
More major people born on March 26
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1931
Leonard Nimoy
American actor (died 2015)
Leonard Simon Nimoy was an American actor and director, famous for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for over 40 years.
1976
Amy Smart
American actress and former model
Amy Lysle Smart is an American actress and former model. Her first role in film was in Martin Kunert's anthology horror film Campfire Tales, followed by a minor part in Starship Troopers, directed by Paul Verhoeven.
1941
Richard Dawkins
Kenyan-English ethologist, biologist, and academic
Richard Dawkins is a British evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator, noted atheist, and author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford.
1965
Trey Azagthoth
American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummer Mike…
1893
Palmiro Togliatti
Italian journalist and politician, Italian Minister of Justice (died 1964)
Palmiro Michele Nicola Togliatti was an Italian politician and statesman who led the Italian Communist Party for nearly forty years, from 1927 until his death.
1859
A. E. Housman
English poet and scholar (died 1936)
Alfred Edward Housman was an English classical scholar and poet.
1941
Lella Lombardi
Italian racing driver (died 1992)
Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi was an Italian racing driver who participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix from 1974 to 1976.
1971
Erick Morillo
Colombian-American disc jockey, record label owner, and music producer (died 2020)
Erick Morillo was a Colombian-American disc jockey, music producer, and record label owner.
1516
Conrad Gessner
Swiss botanist and zoologist (died 1565)
Conrad Gessner was a Swiss physician, naturalist, bibliographer, and philologist.
1554
Charles of Lorraine
duke of Mayenne (died 1611)
Charles de Lorraine, duc de Mayenne was a French noble, governor, military commander and rebel during the latter French Wars of Religion.
1972
Jason Maxwell
American baseball player
Jason Ramond Maxwell is an American former professional baseball player. Primarily an infielder, Maxwell first played in 1998 for the Chicago Cubs. Maxwell played the 2000 and 2001 seasons with the Minnesota Twins.
1917
Rufus Thomas
American R&B singer-songwriter (died 2001)
Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ and comic entertainer from Memphis, Tennessee.
1971
Rennae Stubbs
Australian tennis player and sportscaster
Rennae Stubbs is an Australian former professional tennis player, coach and television commentator.
1985
Matt Grevers
American swimmer
Matthew Grevers is a former American competition swimmer who competed in the backstroke and freestyle events, and is a six-time Olympic medalist.
1930
Sandra Day O'Connor
American lawyer and jurist (died 2023)
Sandra Day O'Connor was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006.
1749
William Blount
American politician (died 1800)
William Blount was an American politician, landowner and Founding Father who was one of the signers of the Constitution of the United States.
1922
William Milliken
American politician, 44th Governor of Michigan (died 2019)
William Grawn Milliken was an American businessman and politician who served as the 44th governor of Michigan from 1969 to 1983.
1633
Mary Beale
British artist (died 1699)
Mary Beale (née Cradock) (1633–1699) was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting. She was part of a small band of female professional artists working in London.
1906
H. Radclyffe Roberts
American entomologist and museum administrator (died 1982)
Howard Radclyffe Roberts Jr. was an American entomologist known for his work on grasshoppers. His 1941 University of Pennsylvania Ph.D.