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On This Day in History — February 26
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Highlights of February 26
- 2014 — Former editor-in-chief of Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao Kevin Lau was stabbed, prompting concerns and protests about media freedom. Read more
- 2013 — A hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 people in the deadliest ballooning disaster in history. Read more
- 2012 — African-American teenager Trayvon Martin was killed by neighborhood-watch coordinator George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, prompting a nationwide controversy. Read more
- 2008 — In the first significant cultural visit from the United States to North Korea since the Korean War, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Pyongyang. Read more
- 1995 — Barings Bank, the oldest merchant bank in London, was declared insolvent after its head derivatives trader in Singapore, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million while making unauthorised trades on futures contracts. Read more
- 1979 — The Superliner railcar entered revenue service with Amtrak. Read more
- 1936 — Imperial Japanese Army troops attempted a coup d'etat, occupying parts of Tokyo, and killing several politicians, including finance minister Takahashi Korekiyo. Read more
- 1935 — Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe reinstated, violating the Treaty of Versailles signed at the end of World War I. Read more
- 1935 — With the aid of a radio station in Daventry, England, and two receiving antennae, Scottish engineer and inventor Robert Watson-Watt first demonstrated the use of radar. Read more
- 1917 — The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded "Livery Stable Blues", the first jazz single ever released. Read more
- 1914 — RMS Britannic, the third and largest Olympic-class ocean liner of the White Star Line after RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic, was launched at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Read more
- 1903 — Storm Ulysses struck Ireland, felling thousands of trees and causing damage to up to a quarter of all houses in Dublin. Read more
- 1815 — Napoleon escaped from the Italian island of Elba (depicted), to which he had been exiled after the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Read more
- 1606 — Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon made the first recorded European landing in Australia, although he believed that he was on New Guinea. Read more
- 747 BC — According to Ptolemy, the reign of the Babylonian king Nabonassar (name in Akkadian pictured) began, marking a new era characterized by the systematic maintenance of chronologically precise historical records. Read more
Events
- 2026 — The government of Pakistan declares "open war" against the Taliban in Afghanistan, initiating the 2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan War. Read more
- 2021 — A total of 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 are kidnapped by bandits in the Zamfara kidnapping in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Read more
- 2019 — Indian Air Force fighter-jets target Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camps in Balakot, Pakistan. Read more
- 2013 — A hot air balloon crashes near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 people. Read more
- 2012 — A train derails in Burlington, Ontario, Canada killing at least three people and injuring 45. Read more
- 2012 — Seventeen-year-old African-American student Trayvon Martin is shot to death by neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman in an altercation in Sanford, Florida. Read more
- 2008 — The New York Philharmonic performs in Pyongyang, North Korea; this was the first such event to take place in North Korea. Read more
- 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. Read more
- 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 people. Read more
- 1992 — First Nagorno-Karabakh War: Khojaly Massacre: Armenian armed forces and the 366th CIS Regiment massacre Azeri civilians at a military post outside the town of Khojaly leaving hundreds dead. Read more
- 1987 — Iran–Contra affair: The Tower Commission rebukes President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff. Read more
- 1980 — Egypt and Israel establish full diplomatic relations. Read more
- 1979 — The Superliner railcar enters revenue service with Amtrak. Read more
- 1971 — U.N. Secretary-General U Thant signs United Nations proclamation of the vernal equinox as Earth Day. Read more
- 1966 — Apollo program: Launch of AS-201, the first flight of the Saturn IB rocket. Read more
- 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. Read more
- 1960 — A Kyiv-bound Aeroflot airliner crashes on approach to Snilow Airport in Lviv, killing 32 of the 33 people on board. Read more
- 1952 — Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: US troops reclaim the Philippine island of Corregidor from the Japanese. Read more
- 1936 — In the February 26 Incident, young nationalist Japanese military officers assassinate multiple cabinet statesmen and start a rebellion in downtown Tokyo, which is ended 3 days later. Read more
- 1935 — Adolf Hitler orders the Luftwaffe to be re-formed, violating the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. Read more
- 1935 — Robert Watson-Watt carries out a demonstration near Daventry which leads directly to the development of radar in the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1929 — President Calvin Coolidge signs legislation establishing the 96,000 acres (390 km2) Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Read more
- 1919 — President Woodrow Wilson signs an act of Congress establishing the Grand Canyon National Park. Read more
- 1914 — HMHS Britannic, sister to the RMS Titanic, is launched at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Read more
- 1909 — Kinemacolor, the first successful color motion picture process, is first shown to the general public at the Palace Theatre in London. Read more
- 1876 — Japan and Korea sign the Treaty of Kangwha, which grants Japanese citizens extraterritoriality rights in Korea, opens three Korean ports to Japanese trade, and ends Korea's status as a tributary state of Qing dynasty China. Read more
- 1870 — The Beach Pneumatic Transit in New York City, intended as a demonstration for a subway line, opens. Read more
- 1815 — Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from exile on the island of Elba. Read more
- 1794 — The first Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen burns down. Read more
- 1775 — The British East India Company factory on Balambangan Island is destroyed by Moro pirates. Read more
- 1616 — Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun. Read more
- 1606 — The Janszoon voyage of 1605–06 becomes the first European expedition to set foot on Australia, although it is mistaken as a part of New Guinea. Read more
- 1365 — The Ava Kingdom and the royal city of Ava (Inwa) were founded by King Thado Minbya. Read more
- 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. Read more
- 1074 — Battle of Kemej: The royal army of Solomon, King of Hungary defeats the force of his rebellious cousin Duke Géza. Read more
- 364 — Valentinian I is proclaimed Roman Emperor. Read more
- 320 — Chandragupta I is officially crowned as the first Gupta Emperor. Read more
- 747 BC — According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events. Read more
Born on February 26
- 2004 — Bibisara Assaubayeva, Kazakhstani chess grandmaster Read more
- 2003 — Jamal Musiala, German footballer Read more
- 2002 — Gerard Martín, Spanish footballer Read more
- 2002 — César Tárrega, Spanish footballer Read more
- 2000 — Yeat, American rapper Read more
- 1997 — Jessie Bates, American football player Read more
- 1994 — Jacob Trouba, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1994 — Mahra Al Maktoum, Emirati princess. Read more
- 1993 — Morgan Gautrat, American soccer player Read more
- 1992 — Mikael Granlund, Finnish hockey player Read more
- 1991 — Lee Chae-rin, South Korean singer Read more
- 1991 — Kevin Plawecki, American baseball player Read more
- 1990 — Takanoiwa Yoshimori, Mongolian sumo wrestler Read more
- 1989 — Gabriel Obertan, French footballer Read more
- 1986 — Mārtiņš Karsums, Latvian ice hockey player Read more
- 1986 — Hannah Kearney, American skier Read more
- 1985 — Fernando Llorente, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1984 — Emmanuel Adebayor, Togolese footballer Read more
- 1984 — Beren Saat, Turkish actress Read more
- 1983 — Jerome Harrison, American football player Read more
- 1983 — Pepe, Brazilian-Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1982 — Li Na, Chinese tennis player Read more
- 1982 — Matt Prior, South African-English cricketer Read more
- 1981 — Kevin Dallman, Canadian-Kazakhstani ice hockey player Read more
- 1981 — Kertus Davis, American race car driver Read more
- 1981 — Simon Maljevac, Slovenian politician Read more
- 1981 — Robert Mathis, American football player Read more
- 1981 — Oh Seung-bum, South Korean footballer Read more
- 1981 — Sharon Van Etten, American singer-songwriter, musician and actress Read more
- 1980 — Steve Blake, American basketball player Read more
- 1979 — Steve Evans, Welsh footballer Read more
- 1979 — Pedro Mendes, Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1978 — Abdoulaye Faye, Senegalese footballer Read more
- 1977 — Marty Reasoner, American ice hockey player and coach Read more
- 1977 — Tim Thomas, American basketball player Read more
- 1977 — Shane Williams, Welsh rugby union player Read more
- 1976 — Nalini Anantharaman, French mathematician Read more
- 1976 — Chad Urmston, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1975 — P. J. Axelsson, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
- 1974 — Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Filipina television actress, host and equestrienne Read more
Died on February 26
- 2025 — Michelle Trachtenberg, American actress (born 1985) Read more
- 2017 — Joseph Wapner, American judge and TV personality (born 1919) Read more
- 2016 — Andy Bathgate, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (born 1932) Read more
- 2016 — Don Getty, Canadian football player and politician, 11th Premier of Alberta (born 1933) Read more
- 2015 — Sheppard Frere, English historian and archaeologist (born 1916) Read more
- 2015 — Theodore Hesburgh, American priest, theologian, educator, and academic (born 1917) Read more
- 2015 — Earl Lloyd, American basketball player and coach (born 1928) Read more
- 2015 — Tom Schweich, American lawyer and politician, 36th State Auditor of Missouri (born 1960) Read more
- 2014 — Sorel Etrog, Romanian-Canadian sculptor, painter, and illustrator (born 1933) Read more
- 2014 — Phyllis Krasilovsky, American author and academic (born 1927) Read more
- 2013 — Marie-Claire Alain, French organist and educator (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Stéphane Hessel, German-French diplomat and author (born 1917) Read more
- 2013 — Simon Li, Hong Kong judge and politician (born 1922) Read more
- 2012 — Richard Carpenter, English actor and screenwriter (born 1929) Read more
- 2011 — Arnošt Lustig, Czech author, playwright, and screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
- 2010 — Jun Seba, also known as "Nujabes", Japanese record producer, DJ, composer and arranger (born 1974) Read more
- 2009 — Johnny Kerr, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (born 1932) Read more
- 2009 — Wendy Richard, English actress (born 1943) Read more
- 2009 — Norm Van Lier, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (born 1947) Read more
- 2008 — Bodil Udsen, Danish actress (born 1925) Read more
- 2006 — Georgina Battiscombe, British biographer (born 1905) Read more
- 2005 — Jef Raskin, American computer scientist, created Macintosh (born 1943) Read more
- 2004 — Adolf Ehrnrooth, Finnish general (born 1905) Read more
- 2004 — Boris Trajkovski, Macedonian politician, 2nd President of the Republic of Macedonia (born 1956) Read more
- 2002 — Lawrence Tierney, American actor (born 1919) Read more
- 2000 — George L. Street III, American captain, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1913) Read more
- 2000 — Raosaheb Gogte, Indian industrialist (born 1916) Read more
- 1998 — Theodore Schultz, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1902) Read more
- 1997 — David Doyle, American actor (born 1929) Read more
- 1995 — Jack Clayton, English director and producer (born 1921) Read more
- 1994 — Bill Hicks, American comedian (born 1961) Read more
- 1993 — Constance Ford, American model and actress (born 1923) Read more
- 1989 — Roy Eldridge, American trumpet player (born 1911) Read more
- 1985 — Tjalling Koopmans, Dutch-American economist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1910) Read more
- 1981 — Robert Aickman, English author and activist (born 1914) Read more
- 1981 — Howard Hanson, American composer, conductor, and educator (born 1896) Read more
- 1969 — Levi Eshkol, Israeli soldier and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Israel (born 1895) Read more
- 1969 — Karl Jaspers, German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher (born 1883) Read more
- 1966 — Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Indian poet and politician (born 1883) Read more
- 1961 — Karl Albiker, German sculptor, lithographer, and educator (born 1878) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Alexander of Alexandria; Christian feast day:
Emily Malbone Morgan (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day:
Isabelle of France; Christian feast day:
Li Tim-Oi (Anglican Church of Canada); Christian feast day:
Paula Montal Fornés; Christian feast day:
Porphyry of Gaza; Christian feast day:
February 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of Remembrance for Victims of Khojaly Massacre (Azerbaijan); Liberation Day (Kuwait); Saviours' Day (Nation of Islam)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “February 26”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.