On This Day in History — August 26

Highlights of August 26

• 2008 — After a ceasefire was reached in the Russo-Georgian War, Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Read more
• 1980 — A bomb was planted at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, which the FBI later described as the most complex improvised explosive device ever created. Read more
• 1978 — A conclave elected Albino Luciani as Pope John Paul I, succeeding Paul VI. Read more
• 1970 — Betty Friedan and the National Organization for Women organized the Women's Strike for Equality in New York City, in which 50,000 women protested the continuing lack of gender equality. Read more
• 1968 — The Beatles released "Hey Jude", which became the then-longest single to top the UK charts. Read more
• 1968 — The U.S. Democratic Party's National Convention opened in Chicago, sparking four days of clashes (pictured) between anti-Vietnam War protesters and police. Read more
• 1959 — The Coatzacoalcos earthquake struck near the Mexican state of Veracruz, killing 25 people. Read more
• 1955 — Pather Panchali, the first film in The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, was released and went on to win many Indian and international film awards. Read more
• 1940 — The 1940 New England hurricane formed over the Atlantic Ocean; it would go on to cause widespread damage despite never making landfall in the United States. Read more
• 1928 — At a cafe in Paisley, Scotland, a woman found the remains of a snail in her bottle of ginger beer, giving rise to the landmark civil-action case Donoghue v Stevenson. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: The German colony of Togoland surrendered to French and British forces after a 20-day campaign. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: As the British Expeditionary Force and French Fifth Army began their retreat from Mons, the British II Corps delayed the pursuing Germans at the Battle of Le Cateau long enough for the main force to escape. Read more
• 1883 — A massive eruption (pictured) destroyed the island of Krakatoa, Indonesia, ejecting so much volcanic ash that average global temperatures fell by as much as 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) over the next year. Read more
• 1826 — Quincy Market (pictured) in Boston, Massachusetts, opened as a replacement for an overcrowded market in Faneuil Hall. Read more
• 1789 — French Revolution: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (pictured), defining a set of individual and collective rights of the people, was approved by the National Constituent Assembly. Read more
• 1748 — The first Lutheran denomination in North America, the Pennsylvania Ministerium, was founded in Philadelphia. Read more
• 1346 — Hundred Years' War: At the Battle of Crécy, English forces established the military supremacy of English longbows over the French combination of crossbows and armoured knights. Read more
• 1071 — Byzantine–Seljuk wars: Seljuk Turks led by Alp Arslan captured Byzantine emperor Romanos IV at the Battle of Manzikert, marking a decline in Byzantine fortunes. Read more
• 683 — Second Fitna: The Battle of al-Harra was fought between Umayyad forces and the rebel defenders of Medina at a lava field northeast of the city. Read more

Events

• 2026 — A series of large flash floods and debris flows along the Nepal–Tibet border and the Trishuli River, believed to have been caused by glacier collapse, stuck and destroyed numerous settlements, including the Gyirong checkpoint, and killed over 1,400 people, with over 5,800 reported missing. Read more
• 2023 — Exactly five years after the 2018 Jacksonville Landing shooting, there is another shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, leaving three people dead. Read more
• 2021 — During the 2021 Kabul airlift, a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport kills 13 US military personnel and at least 169 Afghan civilians. Read more
• 2018 — Three people are killed and eleven wounded during a mass shooting at a Madden NFL '19 video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. Read more
• 2015 — Two U.S. journalists are shot and killed by a disgruntled former coworker while conducting a live report in Moneta, Virginia. Read more
• 2014 — The Jay Report into the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal is published. Read more
• 2011 — The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's all-new composite airliner, receives certification from the EASA and the FAA. Read more
• 2009 — Kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard is discovered alive in California after being missing for over 18 years. Her captors, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, are apprehended. Read more
• 2003 — A Beechcraft 1900 operating as Colgan Air Flight 9446 crashes after taking off from Barnstable Municipal Airport in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, killing both pilots on board. Read more
• 1999 — Russia begins the Second Chechen War in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade. Read more
• 1998 — The first flight of the Boeing Delta III ends in disaster 75 seconds after liftoff, resulting in the loss of the Galaxy X communications satellite. Read more
• 1997 — Beni Ali massacre occurs in Algeria, leaving 60 to 100 people dead. Read more
• 1993 — Sakha Avia Flight 301 crashes on approach to Aldan Airport, killing all 24 aboard. Read more
• 1981 — Aeropesca Flight 221 crashes in Colombia's Huila Department, killing all 50 people on board. Read more
• 1980 — After John Birges plants a bomb at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, in the United States, the FBI inadvertently detonates the bomb during its disarming. Read more
• 1978 — Papal conclave: Albino Luciani is elected as Pope John Paul I. Read more
• 1977 — The Charter of the French Language is adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec. Read more
• 1972 — The Games of the XX Olympiad open in Munich, West Germany. Read more
• 1970 — The fiftieth anniversary of American women being able to vote is marked by a nationwide Women's Strike for Equality. Read more
• 1969 — Aeroflot Flight 1770 crashes while landing at Vnukovo International Airport, killing 16. Read more
• 1966 — The South African Border War starts with the battle at Omugulugwombashe. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Charles de Gaulle enters Paris. Read more
• 1942 — The Holocaust in Ukraine: At Chortkiv, the Ukrainian police and German Schutzpolizei deport two thousand Jews to Bełżec extermination camp. Five hundred of the sick and children are murdered on the spot. This continued until the next day. Read more
• 1940 — World War II: Chad becomes the first French colony to join the Allies under the administration of Félix Éboué, France's first black colonial governor. Read more
• 1936 — Spanish Civil War: Santander falls to the Nationalists and the Republican Interprovincial Council is dissolved. Read more
• 1922 — Greco-Turkish War (1919–22): Turkish army launched what has come to be known to the Turks as the Great Offensive (Büyük Taarruz). The major Greek defense positions were overrun. Read more
• 1920 — The 19th amendment to United States Constitution, giving women the right to vote, is certified. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: The German colony of Togoland surrenders to French and British forces after a 20-day campaign. Togoland is the first German colony to fall to Allied hands in World War I. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: During the retreat from Mons, the British II Corps commanded by General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien fights a vigorous and successful defensive action at Le Cateau. Read more
• 1883 — The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa begins its final, paroxysmal, stage. Read more
• 1863 — The Swedish-language liberal newspaper Helsingfors Dagblad proposes the current blue-and-white cross flag as the flag of Finland. Read more
• 1849 — President Faustin Soulouque of the First Republic of Haiti has the Senate and Chamber of Deputies proclaim him the Emperor of Haiti, abolishing the Republic and inaugurating the Second Empire of Haiti. Read more
• 1833 — The great 1833 Kathmandu–Bihar earthquake causes major damage in Nepal, northern India and Tibet, killing a total of 500 people. Read more
• 1814 — Chilean War of Independence: Infighting between the rebel forces of José Miguel Carrera and Bernardo O'Higgins erupts in the Battle of Las Tres Acequias. Read more
• 1813 — War of the Sixth Coalition: An impromptu battle takes place when French and Prussian-Russian forces accidentally run into each other near Liegnitz, Prussia (now Legnica, Poland). Read more
• 1810 — The former viceroy Santiago de Liniers of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata is executed after the defeat of his counter-revolution. Read more
• 1791 — John Fitch is granted a United States patent for the steamboat. Read more
• 1789 — The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is approved by the National Constituent Assembly of France. Read more
• 1778 — The first recorded ascent of Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia. Read more
• 1768 — Captain James Cook sets sail from England on board HMS Endeavour, starting his first voyage of discovery. Read more
• 1767 — Jesuits all over Chile are arrested as the Spanish Empire suppresses the Society of Jesus. Read more
• 1748 — The first Lutheran denomination in North America, the Pennsylvania Ministerium, is founded in Philadelphia. Read more
• 1648 — The Fronde: First Fronde: In the wake of the successful Battle of Lens, Cardinal Mazarin, Chief Minister of France, suddenly orders the arrest of the leaders of the Parlement of Paris, provoking the rest of Paris to break into insurrection and barricade the streets the next day. Read more
• 1642 — Dutch–Portuguese War: Second Battle of San Salvador: The Dutch force the Spanish garrison at San Salvador (modern day Keelung, Taiwan) to surrender, ending the short-lived Spanish colony on Formosa and replacing it with a new Dutch administration. Read more
• 1542 — A year and a half after leaving Guayaquil on the Pacific coast, Francisco de Orellana finishes his overland journey across South America and reaches the mouth of the Amazon River on the Atlantic coast. Read more
• 1444 — Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs: A vastly outnumbered force of Swiss Confederates is defeated by the Dauphin Louis (future Louis XI of France) and his army of 'Armagnacs' near Basel. Read more
• 1366 — The Byzantine Empire retakes Gallipoli with the help of the Savoyard Crusade. Read more
• 1346 — Hundred Years' War: At the Battle of Crécy, an English army easily defeats a French one twice its size. Read more
• 1303 — Chittorgarh falls to the Delhi Sultanate. Read more
• 1278 — Ladislaus IV of Hungary and Rudolf I of Germany defeat Ottokar II of Bohemia in the Battle on the Marchfeld near Dürnkrut in (then) Moravia. Read more
• 1071 — The Seljuq Turks defeat the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert, and soon gain control of most of Anatolia. Read more
• 683 — The Battle of al-Harrah concludes, with Yazid I's army killing 11,000 people of the city of Medina. Read more

Born on August 26

• 2006 — Victoria Mboko, Canadian tennis player Read more
• 2002 — Lil Tecca, American rapper Read more
• 2001 — Patrick Williams, American basketball player Read more
• 2000 — Kyren Williams, American football player Read more
• 1999 — Rosa, former sea otter at Monterey Bay Aquarium Read more
• 1999 — Naz Reid, American basketball player Read more
• 1999 — Kotoshoho Yoshinari, Japanese sumo wrestler Read more
• 1998 — Charlie Gillespie, Canadian actor and singer Read more
• 1998 — Jeon Soyeon, Korean rapper and record producer Read more
• 1997 — Cordae, American rapper Read more
• 1995 — Anthony Duclair, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1995 — Ranger Suárez, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
• 1994 — Alex Collins, American football player (died 2023) Read more
• 1994 — Austin Gunn, American professional wrestler Read more
• 1993 — Keke Palmer, American actress and singer Read more
• 1991 — Jessie Diggins, American cross-country skier Read more
• 1991 — Dylan O'Brien, American actor Read more
• 1990 — Lorenzo Brown, American basketball player Read more
• 1990 — Irina-Camelia Begu, Romanian tennis player Read more
• 1988 — Elvis Andrus, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
• 1988 — Evan Ross, American actor Read more
• 1988 — Danielle Savre, American actress Read more
• 1988 — Wayne Simmonds, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1988 — Lars Stindl, German footballer Read more
• 1986 — Vladislav Gussev, Estonian footballer Read more
• 1986 — Saint Jhn, Guyanese-American rapper, singer, and songwriter Read more
• 1986 — Colin Kazim-Richards, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1986 — Cassie Ventura, American singer, dancer, actress and model Read more
• 1985 — Hugo Duminil-Copin, French mathematician (Fields Medal 2022) Read more
• 1985 — Oleksiy Kasyanov, Ukrainian decathlete Read more
• 1983 — Mattia Cassani, Italian footballer Read more
• 1983 — Félix Porteiro, Spanish race car driver Read more
• 1983 — Nicol David, Malaysian squash player Read more
• 1982 — Angelo Iorio, Italian footballer Read more
• 1982 — John Mulaney, American comedian, actor, writer, and producer Read more
• 1981 — Tino Best, Barbadian cricketer Read more
• 1981 — Sebastian Bönig, German footballer Read more
• 1981 — Vangelis Moras, Greek footballer Read more
• 1980 — Macaulay Culkin, American actor Read more
• 1980 — Manolis Papamakarios, Greek basketball player Read more

Died on August 26

• 2026 — Peter Cullen, Canadian voice actor (born 1941) Read more
• 2026 — Péter Nádas, Hungarian author and playwright (born 1942) Read more
• 2024 — Sven-Göran Eriksson, Swedish footballer and manager (born 1948) Read more
• 2024 — Sid Eudy, American actor and professional wrestler (born 1960) Read more
• 2023 — Bob Barker, American television game show host (born 1923) Read more
• 2020 — Joe Ruby, American animator (born 1933) Read more
• 2018 — Neil Simon, American playwright and author (born 1927) Read more
• 2017 — Tobe Hooper, American film director (born 1943) Read more
• 2015 — Amelia Boynton Robinson, American activist (born 1905) Read more
• 2015 — Donald Eric Capps, American theologian, author, and academic (born 1939) Read more
• 2015 — P. J. Kavanagh, English poet and author (born 1931) Read more
• 2015 — Stefanos Manikas, Greek politician (born 1952) Read more
• 2015 — Francisco San Diego, Filipino bishop (born 1935) Read more
• 2014 — Christian Bourquin, French lawyer and politician (born 1954) Read more
• 2014 — Peter Bacon Hales, American historian, photographer, and author (born 1950) Read more
• 2014 — Caroline Kellett, English journalist (born 1960) Read more
• 2014 — Chūsei Sone, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1937) Read more
• 2013 — Hélie de Saint Marc, French soldier (born 1922) Read more
• 2013 — John J. Gilligan, American soldier and politician, 62nd Governor of Ohio (born 1921) Read more
• 2013 — Bill Schmitz, American football player and coach (born 1954) Read more
• 2013 — Jack Sinagra, American lawyer and politician (born 1950) Read more
• 2013 — Clyde A. Wheeler, American soldier and politician (born 1921) Read more
• 2012 — Russ Alben, American composer and businessman (born 1929) Read more
• 2012 — Reginald Bartholomew, American academic and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Italy (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — Jacques Bensimon, Canadian director and producer (born 1943) Read more
• 2012 — Krzysztof Wilmanski, Polish-German physicist and academic (born 1940) Read more
• 2011 — George Band, Taiwanese-English mountaineer and author (born 1929) Read more
• 2011 — Patrick C. Fischer, American computer scientist and academic (born 1935) Read more
• 2011 — John McAleese, Scottish sergeant (born 1949) Read more
• 2010 — Raimon Panikkar, Catalan priest and scholar (born 1918) Read more
• 2009 — Dominick Dunne, American journalist and novelist (born 1925) Read more
• 2007 — Gaston Thorn, Luxembourger jurist and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Luxembourg (born 1928) Read more
• 2006 — Rainer Barzel, Polish-German lawyer and politician, Minister of Intra-German Relations (born 1924) Read more
• 2006 — Clyde Walcott, Barbadian cricketer and coach (born 1926) Read more
• 2006 — William Garnett, American landscape photographer (born 1916) Read more
• 2005 — Denis D'Amour, Canadian guitarist and songwriter (born 1960) Read more
• 2005 — Robert Denning, American art collector and interior designer (born 1927) Read more
• 2005 — Moondog King, Canadian wrestler and politician (born 1949) Read more
• 2004 — Laura Branigan, American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1952) Read more
• 2003 — Jim Wacker, American football player and coach (born 1937) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Alexander of Bergamo (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá; Christian feast day: Jeanne-Elisabeth Bichier des Ages; Christian feast day: Blessed John Paul I; Christian feast day: Blessed Lavrentia Herasymiv; Christian feast day: Mariam Baouardy (Melkite Greek Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Melchizedek; Christian feast day: Our Lady of Częstochowa; Christian feast day: Simplicius, Constantius and Victorinus; Christian feast day: Teresa Jornet Ibars; Christian feast day: August 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Heroes' Day (Namibia); International Dog Day, an observance promoting dog adoption and animal welfare (2004).; Repentance Day (Papua New Guinea); Women's Equality Day (United States)

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