Who are famous people born on May 26?

Famous people born on May 26 include: Yeji, Micah Parsons, Georgia Wareham.

What famous people died on May 26?

Notable historical figures who died on May 26 include: Andy Fletcher, Ray Liotta, Alan White.

May 26 in History

Q: What happened on May 26 in history?

On May 26, 2020: Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world.

2020 — Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world

May 26 spans 61 recorded events across recorded history — from 17 – 2025. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.

By thisDay.info Editorial Team · May 26 — Wikipedia

Historical Events 61 events 17 – 2025

Did you know

In 2020, Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.

Did you know

Local protests over the murder of George Floyd, sometimes called the Minneapolis riots or the Minneapolis uprising, began on May 26, 2020, and within a few days had inspired a global protest movement against police brutality and racial inequality. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

Did you know

The initial events were a reaction to a video filmed the day before and circulated widely in the media of police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes while Floyd struggled to breathe, begged for help, lost consciousness, and died. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.

Did you know

Public outrage over the content of the video gave way to widespread civil disorder in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and other cities in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area over the five-day period of May 26 to 30 after Floyd's murder. This shows how the event shaped policy and public communication in the same period.

Did you know

In 2020, Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world had consequences that extended beyond the first headline. The key context is the institutions involved, the policy shift, and how the public response evolved afterward.

Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe.

Calendar year

AD 17 (XVII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Flaccus and Rufus. The denomination AD 17 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place.

The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity.

The Battle of Avarayr was fought on 26 May 451 on the Avarayr Plain in Vaspurakan between a Christian Armenian army under Vardan Mamikonian and Sassanid Persia. It is considered one of the first battles in defense of the Christian faith. Although the Persians were victorious on the battlefield, it was a pyrrhic victory. The Armenians were allowed to continue practising Christianity freely.

451

Basil I is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire by Michael III.

Byzantine emperor from 867 to 886

Basil I, nicknamed "the Macedonian", was Byzantine emperor from 867 to 886. Born to a peasant family in the theme of Macedonia, he rose to prominence in the imperial court after gaining the favour of Emperor Michael III, whose mistress he married on his emperor's orders. In 866, Michael proclaimed him co-emperor. Fearing a loss of influence, Basil orchestrated Michael's assassination the next year and installed himself as sole ruler of the empire. He was the first ruler of the Macedonian dynasty.

866

England is left temporarily without a monarch after the death of King Edmund I in a street fight, resulting in Edmund's brother Eadred assuming the throne for the minority of Edmund's two sons.

Sovereign state in Europe before 1707

The Kingdom of England was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 927, when all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were united under the rule of Æthelstan, until 1 May 1707, when it relinquished its sovereignty along with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, which would later become the United Kingdom. The Kingdom of England was among the most powerful states in Europe during the medieval and early modern periods.

946

King Otto I elects his six-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom.

He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda.

Otto I, known as Otto the Great or Otto of Saxony, was East Frankish (German) king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the eldest son of Henry the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim.

961

Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain).

King of León, Castile, and Galicia from 1126 to 1157

Alfonso VII, called the Emperor, became the King of Galicia in 1111 and King of León and Castile in 1126. Alfonso, born Alfonso Raimúndez, first used the title Emperor of All Spain, alongside his mother Urraca, once she vested him with the direct rule of Toledo in 1116. Alfonso later held another investiture in 1135 in a grand ceremony reasserting his claims to the imperial title. He was the son of Urraca of León and Raymond of Burgundy, the first of the House of Ivrea to rule in the Iberian Peninsula.

1135

An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000.

Earthquake and tsunami in Japan

The 1293 Kamakura earthquake in Japan occurred at about 06:00 local time on 27 May 1293. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.1–7.5 and triggered a tsunami. The estimated death toll was 23,024. It occurred during the Kamakura period, and the city of Kamakura was seriously damaged.

1293

William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII.

English Franciscan friar and theologian (c. 1287–1347)

William of Ockham or Occam was an English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher and theologian, born probably in Ockham, a small village in Surrey. He is considered to be one of the major figures of medieval thought and was at the centre of the major intellectual and political controversies of the 14th century. The nominalists of the fifteenth century regarded him as one of the founders of their movement. He is widely known for Occam's razor, the methodological principle that bears his name. He produced significant works on logic, physics and theology. Ockham is remembered in the Church of England with a commemoration corresponding to the commonly ascribed date of his death on 10 April.

1328

Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city.

Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years.

Geneva is the second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Geneva is a global city, an international financial centre, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy, which has led to it being called the "Peace Capital".

1538

The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Eighty Years' War.

1573 naval battle of the Eighty Years' War

The Battle of Haarlemmermeer was a naval engagement fought on 26 May 1573, during the early stages of the Dutch War of Independence. It was fought on the waters of the Haarlemmermeer – a large lake which at the time was a prominent feature of North Holland.

1573

Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots.

1630s conflict in New England

The Pequot War was a conflict that took place in 1636 and ended in 1638 in New England, between the Pequot nation and an alliance of the colonists from the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies and their allies from the Narragansett and Mohegan nations. The war concluded with the decisive defeat of the Pequot. In an event called the Mystic massacre, English colonists of the Connecticut Colony and their allies set the village of Pequot Fort ablaze, blocked the exits, and shot anyone trying to escape. At the end, about 700 Pequots had been killed or taken into captivity. Hundreds of prisoners were sold into slavery to colonists in Bermuda or the West Indies; other survivors were dispersed as captives to the victorious nation.

1637

Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo.

1640–1668 war between Portugal and Spain

The Restoration War between Portugal and Spain began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668, bringing a formal end to the Iberian Union. The period from 1640 to 1668 was marked by periodic skirmishes between Portugal and Spain, as well as short episodes of more serious warfare, much of it occasioned by Spanish and Portuguese entanglements with non-Iberian powers. Spain was involved in the Thirty Years' War until 1648 and the Franco-Spanish War until 1659, while Portugal was involved in the Dutch–Portuguese War until 1663.

1644

The Battle of Ackia is fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi.

British and Chickasaw soldiers repel a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia.

The Chickasaw Campaign of 1736, also known as the First Chickasaw War, consisted of two pitched battles by the French and allies against Chickasaw fortified villages in present-day Northeast Mississippi. Under the overall direction of the governor of Louisiana, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, a force from Upper Louisiana attacked Ogoula Tchetoka on March 25, 1736. A second force from Lower Louisiana attacked Ackia on May 26, 1736. Both attacks were bloodily repulsed.

1736

A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrates the end of fighting in the American Revolutionary War.

U.S. holiday celebrating the end of the American Revolutionary War (May 26, 1783)

A Great Jubilee Day, first held on Monday, May 26, 1783, in North Stratford, now Trumbull, Connecticut, commemorated the end of fighting in the American Revolutionary War. This celebration included feasting, prayer, speeches, toasts, and two companies of the North Stratford militia performing maneuvers with cannon discharges and was one of the first documented celebrations following the War for Independence and continued as Decoration Day and today as Memorial Day with prayer services and a parade.

1783

Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan.

French general and emperor (1769–1821)

Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was Emperor of the French from 18 May 1804 until his first abdication in 1814, with a brief restoration during the Hundred Days in 1815. He rose to prominence as a general during the French Revolution and led a series of military campaigns across Europe and the Middle East during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. As a statesman, he implemented numerous legal and administrative reforms in France and Europe.

1805

Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels.

Provisional government of the Peloponnese Islands (1821–23)

The Senate of the entire People of the Peloponnese provinces, commonly known as the Peloponnesian Senate, was a provisional regime that existed in the Peloponnese during the early stages of the Greek War of Independence.

1821

At least 113 people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history.

1822 fire in Norway

On 26 May 1822 there was a Pentecost worship service at the Grue Church near Kirkenær, Norway. During the service, the church caught fire and at least 113 people were killed. It is the deadliest fire disaster in the history of Norway.

1822

President Abraham Lincoln signs legislation organizing the Montana Territory.

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War, defeating the Confederacy and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

1864

Conclusion of the American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas.

The conclusion of the American Civil War commenced with the articles of surrender agreement of the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, at Appomattox Court House, by General Robert E. Lee and concluded with the surrender of CSS Shenandoah on November 6, 1865, bringing the hostilities of the American Civil War to a close. Legally, the war did not end until a proclamation by President Andrew Johnson on August 20, 1866, when he declared "that the said insurrection is at an end and that peace, order, tranquillity, and civil authority now exist in and throughout the whole of the United States of America." The Confederate government being in the final stages of collapse, the war ended by debellatio, with no definitive capitulation from the rapidly disintegrating Confederacy; rather, Lee's surrender marked the effective end of Confederate military operations. The Confederate cabinet held its final meeting on May 5, at which point it declared the Confederacy dissolved, ending its substantive existence; despite this, some remnant Confederate units did not surrender for another month.

1865

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson: President Andrew Johnson is acquitted by one vote in the United States Senate.

1868 US charging of president

The impeachment of Andrew Johnson for "high crimes and misdemeanors" was initiated by the United States House of Representatives on February 24, 1868. The alleged high crimes and misdemeanors were afterwards specified in eleven articles of impeachment adopted by the House on March 2 and 3, 1868. The primary charge against Johnson was that he had violated the Tenure of Office Act by replacing Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, with Lorenzo Thomas ad interim. The Act had been passed by Congress in March 1867, Johnson's veto overruled, with the primary intent of protecting Stanton from being fired without the Senate's consent. Stanton often sided with the Radical Republican faction and had a good relationship with Johnson.

1868

Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Private university in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodists with its original campus in Newbury, Vermont. It was chartered in Boston in 1869. The university is a member of the Association of American Universities and the Boston Consortium for Higher Education.

1869

Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state.

Russian state from 1721 to 1917

The Russian Empire was the final period of the Russian monarchy, spanning most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about 22,800,000 km2 (8,800,000 sq mi), roughly one-sixth of the world's landmass, making it the third-largest empire in history, behind only the British and Mongol empires. It also colonized Alaska between 1799 and 1867. The empire's 1897 census, the only one it conducted, found a population of 125.6 million with considerable ethnic, linguistic, religious, and socioeconomic diversity.

1879

Nicholas II is crowned as the last Tsar of Imperial Russia.

Emperor of Russia from 1894 to 1917

Nicholas II was Emperor of Russia from 1 November 1894 until his abdication in 1917. He was the last Russian monarch before the Russian Revolution and oversaw the Russian Empire's participation in World War I. In 1918, the Romanovs were murdered, putting an end to the Romanov dynasty.

1896

Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

American journalist (1851–1902)

Charles Henry Dow was an American journalist who co-founded Dow Jones & Company with Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser.

1896

Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro.

Civil war in Colombia from 1899 to 1902

The Thousand Days' War was a civil war fought in Colombia from 17 October 1899 to 21 November 1902, at first between the Liberal Party and the government led by the National Party, and later – after the Conservative Party had ousted the National Party – between the liberals and the conservative government. Caused by the longstanding ideological tug-of-war of federalism versus centralism between the liberals, conservatives, and nationalists of Colombia following the implementation of the Constitution of 1886 and the political process known as the Regeneración, tensions ran high after the presidential election of 1898, and on 17 October 1899, official insurrection against the national government was announced by members of the Liberal Party in the Department of Santander. Hostilities did not begin until 11 November, when liberal factions attempted to take over the city of Bucaramanga, leading to active warfare. It would end three years later with the signing of the Treaty of Neerlandia and the Treaty of Wisconsin. The war resulted in a Conservative victory, and ensured the continued dominance of the Conservative Party in Colombian politics for another 28 years. Colombia's political structure as a unitary state has not been challenged since.

1900

Românul de la Pind, the longest-running newspaper by and about Aromanians until World War II, is founded.

Aromanian Romanian-language newspaper

Românul de la Pind was a Romanian weekly newspaper. It was founded on 26 May 1903 in Bucharest, Romania, by the Aromanian cultural activist Nicolae Constantin Batzaria, who was the director of the newspaper, in collaboration with several other Aromanian colleagues in the Ottoman Empire. Early issues of the newspaper carried the name Reforme, and were under the authorship of an anonymous committee. During this time, editors called for measures and reforms to take place for the protection of the supposedly Romanian minorities south of the Danube. As of issue 12, the newspaper began to be titled Românul de la Pind, revealing being led by intellectuals from the Ottoman Empire. In 1904, editors of the newspaper began to sign their articles, these including Batzaria himself, Aromanian writers Marcu Beza and Nicolae Velo and Aromanian professor Ion D. Arginteanu. Other editors of the newspaper throughout its existence were the Aromanian poet and author of the Aromanian anthem Constantin Belimace and the Megleno-Romanian editor and professor Constantin Noe. In 1906, Revista Macedoniei, newspaper in circulation from 25 September 1905 to 17 September 1906, was merged into Românul de la Pind. Revista Macedoniei was a weekly newspaper operated by the Macedo-Romanian Cultural Society. For a time, N. C. Furca succeeded Batzaria as the director of Românul de la Pind. The newspaper ceased its publications on 25 November 1912 with the First Balkan War. It was the longest-running newspaper by and about Aromanians until the times of World War II.

1903

The first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia.

The rights to the resource were quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

Masjed Soleyman is a city in the Central District of Masjed Soleyman County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

1908

The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established.

State in the Caucasus (1918–1921)

The Democratic Republic of Georgia was the first modern establishment of a republic of Georgia, which existed from May 1918 to March 1921. Recognized by all major European powers of the time, DRG was created in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917, which led to the collapse of the Russian Empire and allowed territories formerly under Russia's rule to assert independence. In contrast to Bolshevik Russia, DRG was governed by a moderate, multi-party political system led by the Georgian Social Democratic Party (Mensheviks).

1918

The first 24 Hours of Le Mans is held in France.

Run annually in June thereafter, it became the oldest endurance racing event in the world.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is an endurance sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. First run in 1923, it is the oldest active endurance racing event in the world and is widely considered one of the world's most prestigious races. It is part of informal "Triple Crown" events, as a Triple Crown of Motorsport with different car types along with the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, and as a Triple Crown of endurance racing with sportscars, with the Florida-based 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.

1923

Abd el-Krim ends surrenders to the French, bringing an end to the Rif War.

Moroccan political and military leader (1882/1883–1963)

Mohammed ben Abdelkrim El Khattabi, better known as Abd el-Krim, was a Moroccan revolutionary, religious, political and military leader and the president of the Republic of the Rif. He and his brother M'Hammad led a large-scale revolt by a coalition of Riffian tribes against the Spanish and French Protectorates of the Rif and the rest of Morocco. His guerrilla tactics, which included the first-ever use of tunneling as a technique of modern warfare, directly influenced Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong and Che Guevara. He also became one of the major figures of Arab nationalism, which he supported during his stay in Cairo.

1926

The last Ford Model T rolls off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles.

American car (1908–1927)

The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relatively low price was partly the result of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual handcrafting. The savings from mass production allowed the price to decline from $780 in 1910 to $290 in 1924. It was mainly designed by three engineers, Joseph A. Galamb, Eugene Farkas, and Childe Harold Wills. The Model T was colloquially known as the "Tin Lizzie".

1927

In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation bill.

By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours.

The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.

1936

Walter Reuther and members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) clash with Ford Motor Company security guards at the River Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan, during the Battle of the Overpass.

American labor union leader and progressive activist (1907–1970)

Walter Philip Reuther was an American leader of organized labor and civil rights activist who built the United Automobile Workers (UAW) into one of the most progressive labor unions in American history. He considered labor movements not as narrow special interest groups but as instruments to advance social justice and human rights in democratic societies. He leveraged the UAW's resources and influence to advocate for workers' rights, civil rights, women's rights, universal health care, public education, affordable housing, environmental stewardship, profit-sharing for employees, and nuclear nonproliferation around the world. He believed in Swedish-style social democracy and societal change through nonviolent civil disobedience. He cofounded the AFL-CIO in 1955 with George Meany. He survived two attempted assassinations, including one at home where he was struck by a 12-gauge shotgun blast fired through his kitchen window. He was the fourth and longest serving president of the UAW, serving from 1946 until his death in 1970.

1937

In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session.

American investigative committee (1938–1975)

The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives created in 1938. Their goal was to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having communist ties. It became a standing (permanent) committee in 1946. Then, from 1969 and onward, it was known as the House Committee on Internal Security. When the House abolished the committee in 1975, its functions were transferred to the House Judiciary Committee.

1938

World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France.

The Battle of Dunkirk begins simultaneously as Allied defenders fight to slow down the German offensive.

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, the latter enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the only nuclear weapons used in war. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 60 to 75 million people. Millions died as a result of massacres, starvation, disease, and genocides, including the Holocaust. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.

1940

World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison.

1940 battle during the Nazi German invasion of France

The siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France. The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through Dunkirk. After the Franco-British counter-attack at the Battle of Arras, German units were held back to be ready to resist a resumption of the counter-attack on 22 May, despite the protests of General Heinz Guderian, the commander of the XIX Armee Korps, who wanted to rush north up the Channel coast to capture Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk. An attack by part of the XIX Armee Korps was not authorised until 12:40 a.m. on the night of 21/22 May.

1940

World War II: The Battle of Gazala begins, in present-day Libya.

1942 battle during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II

The Battle of Gazala, also the Gazala Offensive was fought near the village of Gazala during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, west of the port of Tobruk in Libya, from 26 May to 21 June 1942. Axis troops consisting of German and Italian units fought the British Eighth Army composed mainly of British Commonwealth, Indian and Free French troops.

1942

The U.S.

Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes members from all backgrounds. The program is established as an organization by Title 10 of the United States Code and its purposes defined by Title 36.

1948

British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana.

British colony from 1814 to 1966

British Guiana was a British colony located on the northern coast of South America. Since 1966 it has been known as the independent nation of Guyana.

1966

The Beatles' album Sgt.

Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released.

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band in popular music and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. They also explored styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionised many aspects of the music industry and were often publicised as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.

1967

H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight.

Day Iceland changed from left hand to right hand traffic (26 May 1968)

H-dagurinn or Hægri dagurinn on 26 May 1968 was the day that Iceland changed from left hand traffic to right hand traffic. The change itself occurred formally at 6:00 am.

1968

Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first crewed Moon landing.

1961–1972 American crewed lunar exploration program

The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo was conceived in 1960 in the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidency during Project Mercury and executed after Project Gemini. Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's national goal, "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" in his address to the U.S. Congress on May 25, 1961.

1969

The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2.

Country in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It was the world's third-most populous country, the largest by area, and bordered twelve countries. A diverse multinational state, it was organized as a federal union of national republics, with the largest and most populous being the Russian SFSR. In practice, its government and economy were highly centralized. As a one-party state governed by the Communist Party, it was the flagship communist state. Its capital and largest city was Moscow.

1970

Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

1971 Bangladesh–Pakistan armed conflict

The Bangladesh Liberation War, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which resulted in the independence of Bangladesh with the help of India. The war began when the Pakistani military junta based in West Pakistan—under the orders of Yahya Khan—launched Operation Searchlight against East Pakistanis on the night of 25 March 1971, initiating the Bangladesh genocide.

1971

Cold War: The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

1947–1991 geopolitical rivalry between US and USSR

The Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc. It began in the aftermath of the Second World War and ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term cold war is used because there was no direct fighting between the two superpowers, though each supported opposing sides in regional conflicts known as proxy wars. In addition to the struggle for ideological and economic influence and an arms race in both conventional and nuclear weapons, the Cold War was expressed through technological rivalries such as the Space Race, espionage, propaganda campaigns, embargoes, and sports diplomacy.

1972

Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due).

Head of government of Italy

The prime minister of Italy, officially the president of the Council of Ministers, is the head of government of the Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is established by articles 92–96 of the Constitution of Italy; the president of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the president of the Italian Republic and must have the confidence of the parliament to stay in office.

1981

An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others.

American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft

The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engined, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft. Operated by both the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy between 1971 and 2019, it was derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe.

1981

The 7.8 Mw  Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe).

A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead.

The 1983 Sea of Japan earthquake occurred on May 26, 1983, at 11:59:57 local time. It had a magnitude of 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale. It occurred in the Sea of Japan, about 100 km west of the coast of Noshiro in Akita Prefecture, Japan. Out of the 104 fatalities, all but four were killed by the resulting tsunami, which struck communities along the coast, especially Aomori and Akita Prefectures and the east coast of Noto Peninsula. Images of the tsunami hitting the fishing harbor of Wajima on Noto Peninsula were broadcast on TV. The waves exceeded 10 meters (33 ft) in some areas. Three of the fatalities were along the east coast of South Korea. The tsunami also hit Okushiri Island, the site of a more deadly tsunami 10 years later.

1983

The European Community adopts the European flag.

Regional organisation from 1958 to 1993

The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organisation created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957, aiming to foster economic integration among its member states. It was subsequently renamed the European Community (EC) upon becoming integrated into the first pillar of the newly formed European Union (EU) in 1993. In the popular language, the singular European Community was sometimes inaccurately used in the wider sense of the plural European Communities, in spite of the latter designation covering all the three constituent entities of the first pillar. The EEC was also known as the European Common Market (ECM) in the English-speaking countries, and sometimes referred to as the European Community even before it was officially renamed as such in 1993. In 2009, the EC formally ceased to exist and its institutions were directly absorbed by the EU. This made the Union the formal successor institution of the Community.

1986

Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era.

First President of Georgia (1991–92)

Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia was a Georgian politician, human rights activist, dissident, professor of English language studies and American literature at Tbilisi State University, and writer who became the first democratically elected President of Georgia in May 1991.

1991

Lauda Air Flight 004 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes in the Phu Toei National Park in the Suphan Buri province of Thailand, killing all 223 people on board.

1991 aircraft accident in Thailand

Lauda Air Flight 004 was a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from Hong Kong, via Bangkok, Thailand, to Vienna, Austria. On 26 May 1991, the Boeing 767-300ER operating the route crashed following an uncommanded deployment of the thrust reverser on the No. 1 engine during the climb phase, causing the aircraft to enter an aerodynamic stall, uncontrolled dive, and in-flight breakup, killing all 213 passengers and ten crew members on board. It is the deadliest aviation accident involving the Boeing 767, and the deadliest aviation accident in Thailand's history. The accident marked the 767's first fatal incident and third hull loss. Formula One world motor racing champion Niki Lauda, who founded and ran Lauda Air, was personally involved in the accident investigation.

1991

The Supreme Court of the United States rules in New Jersey v.

New York that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York.

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on questions of U.S. constitutional or federal law. It also has original jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases, specifically "all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party". In 1803, the court asserted itself the power of judicial review, the ability to invalidate a statute for violating a provision of the Constitution. It is also able to strike down presidential directives for violating either the Constitution or statutory law.

1998

The first "National Sorry Day" is held in Australia.

Reconciliation events are held nationally, and attended by over a million people.

National Sorry Day, officially the National Day of Healing, is an event held annually in Australia on 26 May commemorating the Stolen Generations. It is part of the ongoing efforts towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

1998

A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Harbin Y-12 crashes near Erdenet, Orkhon Province, Mongolia, resulting in 28 deaths.

National airline of Mongolia

MIAT Mongolian Airlines is the state-owned flag carrier of Mongolia, headquartered in the MIAT Building in the country's capital of Ulaanbaatar. The airline operates scheduled services from its base at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Sergelen, near Ulaanbaatar, and is the largest airline in Mongolia by fleet size and destination count. Originally commencing operations in 1956, MIAT exclusively used Soviet aircraft until Mongolia's transition to a market economy in the 1990s, now operating a mix of Boeing and Bombardier jets.

1998

The tugboat Robert Y.

Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured.

A bridge collapse occurred southeast of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, United States, at 7:45 a.m. on May 26, 2002. Freight barges being transported on the Arkansas River collided with a pier supporting the Interstate 40 road bridge crossing the river. The resulting failure of the supports caused a section of the bridge to collapse, killing 14 people and injuring another 11. The collision was determined to have resulted from the captain of the barges' towboat losing consciousness.

2002

Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines Flight 4230 crashes in the Turkish town of Maçka, killing 75.

2003 aviation accident

Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines Flight 4230 was a chartered international passenger flight, a Yakovlev Yak-42D operated by Ukrainian UM Airlines, which crashed in 2003.

2003

Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.

2008 natural disaster in southern China

The 2008 South China floods began on 26 May 2008. Four rounds of torrential rains with landslides and flooding lasted for 20 days and affected fifteen provinces in Eastern and Southern China.

2008

Narendra Modi takes oath as the 15th Prime Minister of India.

Prime Minister of India since 2014

Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician who has served as the prime minister of India since 26 May 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Varanasi. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation. In June 2026, he became the longest-serving elected prime minister of India, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru.

2014

Ten people are killed in a shooting at a VTA rail yard in San Jose, California, United States.

Mass shooting in California, U.S.

On May 26, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) rail yard in San Jose, California, United States. A 57-year-old VTA employee, Samuel James Cassidy, shot and killed nine VTA employees before killing himself. It is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area.

2021

65 people are injured when a car rams into a crowd on Water Street, near Liverpool F.C.'s Premier League trophy parade.

Traffic collision in Liverpool, England

On 26 May 2025, Paul Doyle drove a grey Ford Galaxy into a crowd on Water Street in Liverpool, England, during a victory parade celebrating Liverpool Football Club's 2024–25 Premier League title win. Over 130 people were injured; at least 50 were taken to hospital, including 4 children.

2025

Born on May 26

20 people 1981 – 2000

Yeji

South Korean singer

Hwang Ye-ji, known mononymously as Yeji, is a South Korean singer and dancer. She is the leader of the South Korean girl group Itzy, formed by JYP Entertainment in 2019. Yeji released her debut solo extended play (EP),…

2000

Micah Parsons

American football player

Micah Aaron Parsons is an American professional football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Parsons played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he earned…

1999

Georgia Wareham

Australian cricketer

Georgia Wareham is an Australian cricketer who plays for the national cricket team as a leg spin bowler. At the domestic level, she plays for Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades. In April 2018, she played six matches…

1999

Mathew Barzal

Canadian ice hockey player

Mathew Michael Paul Barzal is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Barzal was selected by the Islanders in the first round, 16th…

1997

Lara Goodall

South African cricketer

Lara Goodall is a South African cricketer who represents South Africa in Women's One Day Internationals and Women's Twenty20 Internationals. In February 2019, Cricket South Africa named her as one of the players in the…

1996

Gong Myung

South Korean actor

Kim Dong-hyun, known professionally as Gong Myung (Korean: 공명), is a South Korean actor. He is a member of 5urprise. He is known for his roles in the television series Be Melodramatic (2019), and Lovers of the Red Sky…

1994

Jason Adesanya

Belgian footballer

Jason Adesanya is a Belgian footballer who currently plays for K Lyra-Lierse Berlaar.

1993

Ah Young

South Korean singer and actress

Cho Ah-young, better known by her stage name Ah Young (아영), is a South Korean singer and actress, as well known as a member of the South Korean girl group Dal Shabet.

1991

Paula Findlay

Canadian triathlete

Paula Findlay is a Canadian triathlete from Edmonton, Alberta.

1989

Park Ye-eun

South Korean singer

Park Ye-eun, professionally known as Yeeun, Yenny, or Ha:tfelt (핫펠트), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and composer known for her work as a former member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls. In July 2014, she…

1989

Andrea Catellani

Italian footballer

Andrea Catellani is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

1988

Dani Samuels

Australian discus thrower

Dani Stevens is an Australian retired discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event. She is the current national and Oceanian record holder.

1988

Olcay Şahan

Turkish footballer

Olcay Şahan is a Turkish professional football manager and a former player who played as a winger or as an attacking midfielder. Born in Germany, he played for the Turkey national team internationally.

1987

Michel Tornéus

Swedish long jumper

Michel Tresor Komesha Tornéus is a Swedish former long jumper.

1986

Monika Christodoulou

Greek singer-songwriter and guitarist

Monika Christodoulou also known by her stage name Monika, is a Greek singer-songwriter. Her debut album Avatar was released in 2008 and her second album Exit followed in 2010. Both albums achieved platinum status in her…

1985

Ashley Vincent

English footballer

Ashley Derek Vincent is an English former football player and manager who is a first-team coach at EFL League Two club Cheltenham Town.

1985

Demy de Zeeuw

Dutch footballer

Demy Patrick René de Zeeuw is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He previously played for AGOVV, Go Ahead Eagles, AZ and AFC Ajax. While at AZ he was a key player in the squad…

1983

Nathan Merritt

Australian rugby league player

Nathan Merritt is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played in the National Rugby League for the…

1983

Hasan Kabze

Turkish footballer

Hasan Salih Kabze is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Formerly, he played for Bucaspor, Çanakkale Dardanelspor, Galatasaray SK, Rubin Kazan, Montpellier HSC, Orduspor, Konyaspor, Akhisar…

1982

Anthony Ervin

American swimmer

Anthony Lee Ervin is an American competitive swimmer who has won four Olympic medals and two World Championship golds. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle, and earned a…

1981

See all birthdays on May 26

Died on May 26

20 people 2013 – 2022

Andy Fletcher

English musician (born 1961)

Andrew John Fletcher, also known as Fletch, was an English musician and founding member of the electronic band Depeche Mode. In 2020, he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2022

Ray Liotta

American actor (born 1954)

Raymond Allen Liotta was an American actor. He first gained attention for his role in the film Something Wild (1986), which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. He was best known for his portrayals of Shoeless…

2022

Alan White

English drummer (born 1949)

Alan White was an English drummer, best known for his almost 50-year tenure in the progressive rock band Yes. He joined Yes in 1972 as a replacement for original drummer Bill Bruford. He was the longest-serving member…

2022

Prem Tinsulanonda

Former Prime Minister of Thailand (born 1920)

Prem Tinsulanonda was a Thai military officer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th prime minister of Thailand from 1980 to 1988.

2019

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Polish-born American politician (born 1928)

Zbigniew "Zbig" Kazimierz Brzeziński was a Polish-American diplomat and political scientist. He served as a counselor to Lyndon B. Johnson from 1966 to 1968 and was Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor from 1977 to…

2017

Hedy Epstein

German-born American human rights activist and Holocaust survivor (born 1924)

Hedy Epstein was a German-born Jewish-American political activist and Holocaust survivor known for her support of the Palestinian cause through the International Solidarity Movement.

2016

Vicente Aranda

Spanish director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1926)

Vicente Aranda Ezquerra was a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.

2015

Les Johnson

Australian politician and diplomat, Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand (born 1924)

Leslie Royston Johnson AM was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and held ministerial office in the Whitlam government, serving as Minister for Housing (1972–1973), Works…

2015

Robert Kraft

American astronomer and academic (born 1927)

Robert Paul Kraft was an American astronomer. He performed pioneering work on Cepheid variables, stellar rotation, novae, and the chemical evolution of the Milky Way. His name is also associated with the Kraft break:…

2015

João Lucas

Portuguese footballer (born 1979)

João Nuno Silva Cardoso Lucas was a Portuguese professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

2015

Baselios Thoma Didymos I

Indian metropolitan (born 1921)

Baselios Marthoma Didymus I born C. T. Thomas was the primate of the Malankara Orthodox Church from 2005 to 2010. He was the 7th Catholicos of the Malankara since the Catholicate of the East was established India and…

2014

Miodrag Radulovacki

Serbian-American academic and neuropharmacologist (born 1933)

Miodrag (Misha) Radulovacki, was a Serbian American scientist and inventor. He was professor of pharmacology in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Radulovacki's research…

2014

William R. Roy

American physician, journalist, and politician (born 1926)

William Robert Roy, also known as Bill Roy, was a United States representative from Kansas, a physician, and a columnist for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the Democratic nominee for U.S Senator from Kansas in the…

2014

Hooshang Seyhoun

Iranian-Canadian architect, sculptor, and painter (born 1920)

Houshang Seyhoun was an Iranian architect, sculptor, painter, scholar and professor.

2014

Ray Barnhart

American businessman and politician (born 1928)

Ray Anderson Barnhart was an American businessman and politician who served as Federal Highway Administrator from 1981 to 1987. He started his career as City Councilman in Pasadena, Texas. He was a member of the Texas…

2013

John Bierwirth

American lawyer and businessman (born 1924)

John Cocks (Jack) Bierwirth was an American lawyer and businessman. Bierwirth was an attorney by education, and a banking and financial expert by trade. He was best known as the CEO of Grumman during the 1970s and…

2013

Roberto Civita

Italian-Brazilian businessman (born 1936)

Roberto F. Civita was a Brazilian businessman and publisher. Born in Italy, he emigrated at the age of two with his family to New York in 1938 to escape effects of the Race Laws. They moved again to Brazil in 1949,…

2013

Tom Lichtenberg

American football player and coach (born 1940)

Thomas Lichtenberg was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach also at Morehead State University (1979–1980), the University of Maine (1989), and Ohio University (1990–1994),…

2013

Otto Muehl

Austrian painter (born 1925)

Otto Muehl was an Austrian artist and convicted sex criminal, who was known as one of the co-founders as well as a main participant of Viennese Actionism and for founding the Friedrichshof Commune.

2013

Jack Vance

American author (born 1916)

John Holbrook Vance was an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries. He wrote several mystery novels under pen names, including Ellery Queen.

2013

See all deaths on May 26

May 26 in the Blog

Ten people are killed in a shooting at a VTA rail yard in San Jose — May 26, 2021

10 killed by Samuel Cassidy in a shocking VTA rail yard shooting on May 26, 2021, in San Jose, California, leaving a community in mourning that year

Read the full story

What happened on May 26 in history?

On May 26, one notable event in history was 2020: Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world..

This date currently highlights 61 recorded events on thisDay.info, spanning 17 – 2025.

DateMay 26

Featured year2020

LocationMinneapolis

Events listed61

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May 26 in History

2020 — Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world

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2020 — Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, later becoming widespread across the United States and around the world

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