Thursday, 26th June 2025 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's International Day Against Drug Abuse and International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Explore 70 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in London. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Today's weather in London brings rainy with temperatures between 17°C and 24°C. Tonight's moon is in its waxing gibbous phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Cancer. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Thursday, 26th June in London, GB.

London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is experiencing rainy weather on this date. The day falls under the zodiac sign of Cancer as summer approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, whilst the moon is in its waxing gibbous phase, having passed the half-way point in its monthly cycle and approaching its full state.
On this day
On 26 June 1945, delegates from 50 nations gathered in San Francisco to sign the charter establishing the United Nations, a landmark moment in international cooperation that would shape global governance for decades to come. That same year marked the conclusion of the Second World War in Europe, and the signing represented a commitment by the international community to prevent future large-scale conflicts through collective security and dialogue.
More than half a century later, on 26 June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, determining that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision represented a significant shift in American civil rights law and came nearly a decade after the Court had struck down sodomy laws in 2003 with its Lawrence v. Texas decision, demonstrating the Court's evolving approach to LGBTQ rights and personal liberty.
International Day Against Drug Abuse
International Day Against Drug Abuse falls on 26 June each year and marks the United Nations' commitment to strengthening action against the production, trafficking and use of drugs. The date commemorates the death of Kojo Twifo-Hene, a young athlete from Ghana who died in 1989 after drug abuse. The observance has been recognised since 1987 as part of the UN's broader efforts to promote drug awareness and prevention globally.
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed on 26 June to coincide with the entry into force of the UN Convention Against Torture in 1987. The day aims to eradicate torture and honour those who have suffered from this violation of human rights. Member nations use the occasion to raise awareness about the prevalence of torture and to strengthen efforts to prevent and prosecute such acts.
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Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 26th June 2025
Meaning emerges through repetition, not through novelty.
Fortune of the Day
26th June in the Stars – Star Sign Cancer
Personality Profile
Personality People born on June 26 blend deep emotional sensitivity with artistic imagination. Neptune's influence adds a spiritual dimension and intuitive wisdom beyond typical Cancer traits. These individuals are dreamy, refined, and internally rich.
Strengths & Weaknesses Their strength lies in emotional intelligence, creativity, and genuine understanding of others. However, they tend toward oversensitivity and can easily escape into fantasy or lose touch with practical reality.
Love These people seek deep emotional connection and spiritual harmony in relationships. They are loyal, caring partners but need space for their inner world. Romance and mutual understanding are essential to their happiness.
Caree & Finance Creative professions like art, music, or coaching appeal to them strongly. Intuition helps with business decisions, though practical financial management sometimes challenges them. Work with people or spiritual themes fulfills them most.
Health Emotional balance is central to their wellbeing. They thrive with creative expression, meditation, or water-based activities. Stress manifests physically; regular mindfulness practice is essential.
That night, the moon was in its waxing gibbous phase.
Chinese year of the Snake (Wood).
Fun Facts About 26th June
Name Days in Your Language: Arley, Harlan, Harlene, Harley, Thelma
Someone born on this day would be just 340 days old today — roughly 8,183 hours, 490,987 minutes, or 29,459,249 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 177. day of the year. In 2025, 26th June falls on a Thursday.
There are 188 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 26 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 26th June
On this day, 237 notable people were born on 26th June — spanning from -12 to 2005. From world leaders to artists and scientists, discover who shares this birthday.
26/06/2005
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau is the second daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Princess Alexia is a member of the Dutch royal house and second in the line of succession to the Dutch throne.
26/06/2004
Mikey Williams, American basketball player
Michael Anthony Williams is an American college basketball player in the NCAA transfer portal. He previously played for the UCF Knights and Sacramento State Hornets.
26/06/2002
Chandler Smith, American race car driver
Chandler Michael Smith Sr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports, part-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driving the No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Hettinger Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 36 Ford Mustang Dark Horse also for Front Row Motorsports.
26/06/2000
Ann Li, American tennis player
Ann Li is an American tennis player. She has a career-high singles singles ranking by the WTA of world No. 29, achieved on 4 May 2026 and a doubles ranking of No. 134, achieved on 30 March 2026. Li has won two singles titles on the WTA Tour, one singles title on the WTA Challenger Tour, and three titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. Li was a finalist at the 2017 Junior Wimbledon in a first all-American girls' final since 1979.
26/06/1997
Baek Ye-rin, South Korean singer
Baek Ye-rin, anglicized as Yerin Baek, is a South Korean singer-songwriter. A former member of South Korean duo 15&, she debuted as a solo artist with her extended play, Frank, in 2015. Baek is credited with writing and composition for the majority of her songs, often touching on personal topics and real-life experiences. In addition to her solo career, she is also the lead vocalist and guitarist for the South Korean rock band The Volunteers and has been performing with them since 2018.
Jacob Elordi, Australian actor
Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and three AACTA Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, three British Academy Film Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
Callum Taylor, English cricketer
Callum John Taylor is an English cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club. Primarily a right-handed batsman, he also bowls right-arm medium. He made his Twenty20 debut for Essex against Hampshire in May 2015. In December 2015 he was named in England's squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
26/06/1994
Hollie Arnold, English javelin thrower
Hollie Beth Arnold is a British parasport athlete competing in category F46 javelin. Although born in Grimsby, she now lives and trains in Loughborough. She represents Wales in the Commonwealth Games.
Leonard Carow, German actor
Leonard Carow is a German actor. He has appeared in several German television films and series, and in Steven Spielberg's 2011 film, War Horse.
26/06/1993
Ariana Grande, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle register, she is an influential figure in popular music. Publications such as Rolling Stone and Billboard have deemed Grande one of the greatest artists in history, while Time included her on its list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2016 and 2019.
26/06/1992
Joel Campbell, Costa Rican footballer
Joel Nathaniel Campbell Samuels is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Liga FPD club Alajuelense and the Costa Rica national team.
Rudy Gobert, French basketball player
Rudy Gobert-Bourgarel is a French professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the Utah Jazz who acquired him during the 2013 NBA draft. Gobert also represents the French national team in its international competitions. Standing at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall with a wingspan of 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) long, he plays the center position. Nicknamed "the Stifle Tower", he is regarded as one of the best defensive players of all time.
Jennette McCurdy, American actress and singer-songwriter
Jennette McCurdy is an American writer and former actress. Her breakthrough role as Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly (2007–2012) won her four Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. She reprised the character in the iCarly spin-off series Sam & Cat (2013–2014) before leaving Nickelodeon. She also appeared in the television series Malcolm in the Middle (2003–2005), Zoey 101 (2005), Lincoln Heights (2007), True Jackson, VP (2009–2010), and Victorious (2012). She produced, wrote, and starred in her own webseries, What's Next for Sarah? (2014), and led the science-fiction series Between (2015–2016).
26/06/1991
Houssem Chemali, French footballer
Houssem Chemali is an Algerian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Namur.
Diego Falcinelli, Italian footballer
Diego Falcinelli is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie C Group A club Cittadella.
Dustin Martin, Australian rules footballer
Dustin Martin is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Martin was drafted by Richmond with the third pick in the 2009 national draft, and made his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2010 season. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and considered by many to be the greatest finals player of all time.
26/06/1990
Belaynesh Oljira, Ethiopian runner
Belaynesh Oljira Jemama is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes mainly in 10K and half marathon races. She represented her country at the 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2013 World Championships and the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2011 and 2013.
Iman Shumpert, American basketball player
Iman Asante Shumpert is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was selected by the New York Knicks with the 17th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Shumpert was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 and won an NBA championship with them in 2016. He has also played for the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Brooklyn Nets.
Igor Subbotin, Estonian footballer
Igor Subbotin is an Estonian international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Estonian Esiliiga club Nõmme Kalju U21.
26/06/1988
Oliver Stang, German footballer
Oliver Stang is a retired German footballer who was a defender and last played for SV Elversberg in the Regionalliga Südwest.
King Bach, Canadian-American actor, comedian, director, producer, writer and social media personality
Andrew Byron Bachelor, better known by his stage name King Bach, is a Canadian-American Internet comedian and actor who rose to fame on the now-defunct video sharing service Vine, on which he was the most-followed user with 16.2 million followers.
26/06/1987
Carlos Iaconelli, Brazilian race car driver
Carlos "Iaco" Iaconelli is a Brazilian former racing car driver.
Samir Nasri, French footballer
Samir Nasri is a French former professional footballer. He primarily played as an attacking midfielder and a winger, although he was also deployed in the central midfield. Nasri was known for his dribbling, ball control and passing ability. His playing style, ability and cultural background drew comparisons to former French player Zinedine Zidane.
26/06/1986
Duvier Riascos, Colombian footballer
Duvier Riascos is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward. He is known as the "Snake" mainly due to his celebration when he scores.
26/06/1985
Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Tibetan spiritual leader, 17th Karmapa Lama
Ogyen Trinley Dorje, also written as Urgyen Trinley Dorje is a claimant to the title of 17th Karmapa.
26/06/1984
J. J. Barea, Puerto Rican-American basketball player
José Juan Barea Mora is a Puerto Rican basketball coach and former player. He played college basketball for the Northeastern Huskies before joining the Dallas Mavericks in 2006 and becoming the seventh Puerto Rican to play in the NBA. He went on to win an NBA championship with the Mavericks in 2011 before signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he played for the next three seasons before returning to Dallas. He has also played in the NBA Development League and the Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
Yankuba Ceesay, Gambian footballer
Yankuba Ceesay, also known as Maal, is a Gambian football coach and former player A midfielder, he made seven appearances for the Gambia national team.
Elijah Dukes, American baseball player
Elijah David Dukes, Jr. is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed outfielder, he played in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals.
Raymond Felton, American basketball player
Raymond Bernard Felton Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Felton played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels under head coach Roy Williams.
Indila, French singer
Adila Sedraïa, known professionally as Indila, is a French singer-songwriter and record producer. She collaborated with many musicians on vocals and lyrics prior to releasing her first single, "Dernière danse", in December 2013, which reached SNEP second in France and became in December 2023, 10 years after its release, the first French-language song to exceed one billion views on YouTube. She released her debut album, Mini World, in February 2014, which met commercial success.
Priscah Jeptoo, Kenyan runner
Priscah Jeptoo is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon. She has won marathons in New York, Paris, Turin, and London and has a best time of 2:20:14 for the distance. She was the runner-up in the marathon at both the World Championships in Athletics in 2011 and the 2012 London Olympics. She ranks third all-time over the half marathon distance with her best of 66 minutes and 11 seconds.
Aubrey Plaza, American actress
Aubrey Christina Plaza is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She began performing improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. After graduating from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Plaza made her feature film debut in Mystery Team (2009) and gained wide recognition for her role as April Ludgate on the NBC political satire sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015).
Preslava, Bulgarian singer
Preslava Koleva Ivanova, better known mononymously as Preslava, is a Bulgarian singer. She is considered one of the key names in Bulgarian contemporary music, and has won more than 60 awards since her debut in 2004. As of 2025, she has won the Bulgarian Singer of the Year award 13 times since the start of her music career in 2005.
Jūlija Tepliha, Latvian figure skater
The Latvian Figure Skating Championships are an annual figure skating competition organized by the Latvian Skating Association to crown the national champions of Latvia. The first national championships held after Latvia's independence from the Soviet Union were held in Riga in 1992. On three occasions, Latvia has hosted an international competition, and on two occasions, Latvia and Lithuania co-hosted joint competitions; all of which served as Latvia's national championships.
Deron Williams, American basketball player
Deron Michael Williams is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini before being drafted third overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. A three-time NBA All-Star with the Jazz and Brooklyn Nets, Williams also played for Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League during the 2011 NBA lockout, and was a two-time gold medalist for the United States men's national basketball team, participating in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
26/06/1983
Vinícius Rodrigues Almeida, Brazilian footballer
Vinícius Rodrigues Tomaz da Silva Almeida is a Brazilian former footballer.
Nick Compton, South African-English cricketer
Nicholas Richard Denis Compton is a South African-born English former Test and first-class cricketer who most recently played for Middlesex County Cricket Club. The grandson of Denis Compton, he represented England in 16 Test matches.
Toyonoshima Daiki, Japanese sumo wrestler
Toyonoshima Daiki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Sukumo, Kōchi, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division in September 2004. He was a runner-up in five tournaments, and earned ten special prizes. His highest rank was sekiwake, which he first reached in September 2008 and held for five tournaments in total. Following a suspension in July 2010 he was demoted to the jūryō division, but upon his return to makuuchi in November 2010 he took part in a playoff for the championship. He won four kinboshi or gold stars awarded for yokozuna upsets, three of them earned by defeating Harumafuji from 2013 to 2015. He wrestled for Tokitsukaze stable. He retired in 2020 and was an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Izutsu-oyakata until his departure from the association in January 2023.
Felipe Melo, Brazilian footballer
Felipe Melo de Carvalho, known as Felipe Melo, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder or centre-back.
Antonio Rosati, Italian footballer
Antonio Rosati is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
26/06/1982
Zuzana Kučová, Slovak tennis player
Zuzana Kučová is a former Slovak tennis player.
26/06/1981
Natalya Antyukh, Russian sprinter and hurdler
Natalya Nikolayevna Antyukh is a Russian sprinter who specializes in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles. She won the bronze medal in the 400 metres and a silver for the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Paolo Cannavaro, Italian footballer
Paolo Cannavaro is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back and most recently was the head coach of Serie C club Pro Vercelli.
Kanako Kondō, Japanese voice actress and singer
Kanako Kondō is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She voiced Noel Vermillion in BlazBlue.
Takashi Toritani, Japanese baseball player
Takashi Toritani is a Japanese former professional baseball shortstop, commentator, critic, and coach.
26/06/1980
Hamílton Hênio Ferreira Calheiros, Togolese footballer
Hamílton Hênio Ferreira Calheiros, known simply as Hamílton, is a retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Brazil, he was a member, as a naturalized citizen, of the Togo national team.
Michael Jackson, English footballer
Michael Jackson is an English former footballer who plays as a midfielder. He played in the Football League for both Cheltenham Town and Swansea City. He retired in Bishop's Cleeve in 2013.
Jason Schwartzman, American singer-songwriter, drummer, and actor
Jason Schwartzman is an American actor and musician. A member of the Coppola family, Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film Rushmore, and has since appeared in six other Anderson films: The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The French Dispatch (2021), and Asteroid City (2023). He also has a co-writing credit on The Darjeeling Limited.
Chris Shelton, American baseball player
Christopher Bob Shelton is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners over his five-year major league career.
Michael Vick, American football player
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American college football coach and former professional football player who is the head coach for the Norfolk State Spartans. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons and was the all-time leader in quarterback rushing yards at the time of his retirement. Vick played college football at Virginia Tech, winning the Archie Griffin Award as a freshman, and was selected first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL draft. During his six years with the Falcons, he was named to three Pro Bowls and led the team to two playoff runs, one division title, and an NFC Championship Game appearance.
26/06/1979
Ryō Fukuda, Japanese race car driver
Ryō Fukuda is a Japanese former racing driver. He was a Formula One test driver. In the 2005–2006 season, he raced in A1 Grand Prix Japan Team.
Walter Herrmann, Argentinian basketball player
Walter Herrmann Heinrich is an Argentine former professional basketball player. He is listed at 6'9" and 225 lbs. He was a key member of the senior men's Argentine national basketball team that won the gold medal during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Ryan Tedder, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer
Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is the co-founder and frontman of the pop rock band OneRepublic, and has a concurrent career in production and songwriting for other artists.
26/06/1977
Quincy Lewis, American basketball player
Quincy Lavell Lewis is an American former professional basketball player who last played with the pro club Iurbentia Bilbao Basket in Spain. He is currently the Director of Alumni Relations for the Utah Jazz.
26/06/1976
Ed Jovanovski, Canadian ice hockey player
Edward Jovanovski, nicknamed "JovoCop", is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.
Pommie Mbangwa, Zimbabwean cricketer and sportscaster
Mpumelelo "Pommie" Mbangwa is a Zimbabwean cricket commentator and former cricketer. A right-arm fast bowler, he played 15 Test matches and 29 One Day Internationals for Zimbabwe between 1996 and 2002. After being dropped from the international side after the 2002 Champions Trophy, he took up work as a cricket commentator for television, and he has remained in that line of work since. He holds the unique distinction of being the only batsman to have scored exactly the same amount of career runs in two formats with 34 runs each apiece in ODIs and Tests.
Chad Pennington, American football player and sportscaster
James Chadwick Pennington is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Marshall Thundering Herd, winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy as a senior, and was selected by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2000 NFL draft. Pennington spent his first eight seasons with the Jets and was a member of the Miami Dolphins in his last three.
Dave Rubin, American political commentator
David Joshua Rubin is an American conservative and former progressive political commentator, talk show host, YouTuber, and author. He is the host of The Rubin Report, a talk show on YouTube and the BlazeTV network. The program was first launched in 2013 as part of the TYT Network; Rubin left in 2015, citing ideological differences. He previously co-hosted LGBTQ-themed talk shows, including The Ben and Dave Show (2007–2008) and The Six Pack (2009–2012), both with Ben Harvey.
26/06/1975
Chris Armstrong, Canadian ice hockey player
Christopher Ryan Armstrong is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Whitewood, Saskatchewan.
Terry Skiverton, English footballer and manager
Terence John Skiverton is an English former footballer who enjoyed a long playing career at Yeovil Town for 11 years that led him to appear 382 times in all competitions. He then became their manager and subsequently, assistant manager, manager and then assistant manager again. He is currently assistant manager at EFL League One club AFC Wimbledon.
26/06/1974
Derek Jeter, American baseball player
Derek Sanderson Jeter, nicknamed "the Captain", is an American former professional baseball player, businessman, and baseball executive. A shortstop, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2020; he received 396 of 397 possible votes, the second-highest percentage in MLB history and the highest by a position player. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) and part owner of the league's Miami Marlins from September 2017 to February 2022.
Jason Kendall, American baseball player
Jason Daniel Kendall is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals. He is the son of former catcher Fred Kendall, who played in the majors from 1969 to 1980.
26/06/1973
Gretchen Wilson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party. Wilson followed this album one year later with All Jacked Up, the title track of which became the highest-debuting single for a female country artist upon its 2005 release. A third album, One of the Boys, was released in 2007.
26/06/1972
Jai Taurima, Australian long jumper and police officer
Jai Desmond Taurima is an Australian retired athlete who competed in the long jump.
26/06/1971
Max Biaggi, Italian motorcycle racer
Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian former professional Grand Prix and Superbike motorcycle road racer who achieved six World Championships. With four 250 cc road race titles and two in World Superbikes, he is one of only two riders to score championships across both disciplines.
26/06/1970
Paul Thomas Anderson, American director, producer, and screenwriter
Paul Thomas Anderson, also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. Often described as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation, he is the recipient of three Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA Awards, as well as a nomination for a Grammy Award. He is the only person to have won the Academy Award for Best Director and directorial prizes at Europe's three major film festivals: Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Berlin International Film Festival. In addition to those accolades, he won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Paul Bitok, Kenyan runner
Paul Bitok is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who won two silver medals at consecutive Summer Olympics over 5000 metres.
Irv Gotti, American record producer, co-founded Murder Inc Records (died 2025)
Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., known professionally as Irv Gotti or DJ Irv, was an American record producer and record executive. Gotti started off as a New York hip-hop DJ in the 1980s, then becoming an A&R talent scout for TVT Records in 1995 and moved to Def Jam Recordings in 1997. He co-founded the record label Murder Inc. Records with his brother Chris in 1999, which was an imprint of Def Jam. Gotti is credited with having helped discover or sign rappers Jay-Z, DMX, Vita and Ja Rule, as well as singers Ashanti and Lloyd.
Sean Hayes, American actor
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor, comedian, and producer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained acclaim for his role as Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award and four Actor Awards, in addition to nominations for six Golden Globe Awards.
Matt Letscher, American actor and playwright
Matt Letscher is an American actor, director, and playwright, known for his roles as Captain Harrison Love in The Mask of Zorro and Colonel Adelbert Ames in Gods and Generals. He co-starred in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. He was also Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash in The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
Adam Ndlovu, Zimbabwean footballer (died 2012)
Adam Ndlovu was a footballer, who played as a striker.
Chris O'Donnell, American actor
Christopher Eugene O'Donnell is an American actor. After modeling and acting in numerous commercials as a teenager, he made his film debut in the comedy-drama film Men Don't Leave (1990). Following supporting roles in the films Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and School Ties (1992), O'Donnell had his breakout with a starring role in the drama film Scent of a Woman (1992), which earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.
Nick Offerman, American actor
Nicholas David Offerman is an American actor, comedian, carpenter, and writer. He became widely known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), for which he received the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy and was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
26/06/1969
Colin Greenwood, English bass player and songwriter
Colin Charles Greenwood is an English bassist and a member of the rock band Radiohead. Along with bass guitar, Greenwood plays upright bass and electronic instruments.
Ingrid Lempereur, Belgian swimmer
Ingrid Lempereur is a former international swimmer from Belgium. She won the bronze medal in the 200 m breaststroke race at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles at the age of 15.
Geir Moen, Norwegian sprinter
Geir Moen is a former sprinter from Moss, Norway who specialized in the 200 metres. He represented Moss IL.
Mike Myers, American baseball player
Michael Stanley Myers is an American former professional left-handed relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2007.
26/06/1968
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, Icelandic lecturer and politician, 6th President of Iceland
Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson is an Icelandic historian and politician who served as the sixth president of Iceland from 2016 to 2024.
Paolo Maldini, Italian footballer
Paolo Cesare Maldini is an Italian football executive and former professional footballer who spent his entire career playing as a left-back or as a centre-back for AC Milan and the Italy national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. As the Milan and Italy captain for many years, he was nicknamed "Il Capitano". Maldini held the record for appearances in Serie A (647), until he was surpassed by Gianluigi Buffon in 2020. He also holds the joint-record for most European Cup/UEFA Champions League final appearances (8) alongside Paco Gento. From 2018 to 2023 he worked at AC Milan as sporting director and is a co-owner of USL Championship club Miami FC.
Shannon Sharpe, American football player
Shannon Sharpe is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He is considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time.
26/06/1967
Inha Babakova, Ukrainian high jumper
Inha Babakova, née Inha Butkus, is a former Ukrainian high jumper who represented the Soviet Union and later Ukraine. She was born in Asgabat, Turkmen SSR. Her personal best is 2.05 metres.
Olivier Dahan, French director and screenwriter
Olivier Dahan is a French film director and screenwriter. His third directed film, La Vie en Rose, was one of the only French cinema films to win two Academy Awards, including the first acting Oscar in the French language.
26/06/1966
Dany Boon, French actor, director, and screenwriter
Dany Boon is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and producer.
Kirk McLean, Canadian ice hockey player
Kirk Alan McLean is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was a goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. He played in the style of a stand-up goaltender.
Jürgen Reil, American drummer
Jürgen "Ventor" Reil is a German musician, best known as the drummer for the thrash metal band Kreator. He is one of the only two original members left in the band, although he has left "at least twice" due to personal differences.
26/06/1964
Tommi Mäkinen, Finnish race car driver
Tommi Antero Mäkinen is a Finnish racing executive and former rally driver. Mäkinen was the team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT from 2016 until his departure at the end of 2020, to become Toyota's motorsport advisor.
26/06/1963
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russian-Swiss businessman and philanthropist
Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky, sometimes known by his initials MBK, is an exiled Russian businessman, oligarch, and opposition activist, now residing in London. In 2003, Khodorkovsky was believed to be the wealthiest man in Russia, with a fortune estimated to be worth $15 billion, and was ranked 16th on Forbes list of billionaires. He had worked his way up the Komsomol apparatus, during the Soviet years, and started several businesses during the period of glasnost and perestroika in the late 1980s. In 1989, he became chairman of the Board of Bank Menatep, which he founded. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, in the mid-1990s, he accumulated considerable wealth by obtaining control of a number of Siberian oil fields unified under the name Yukos, one of the major companies to emerge from the privatization of state assets during the 1990s.
Mark McClellan, American economist and politician
Mark Barr McClellan is the director of the Robert J Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Margolis Professor of Business, Medicine and Health Policy at Duke University. Formerly, he was a senior fellow and director of the Health Care Innovation and Value Initiative at the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at The Brookings Institution, in Washington, D.C. McClellan served as commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration under President George W. Bush from 2002 through 2004, and subsequently as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from 2004 through 2006.
Harriet Wheeler, English singer-songwriter
The Sundays were an English alternative rock band. The band's lineup consisted of lead vocalist Harriet Wheeler, guitarist David Gavurin, bassist Paul Brindley, and drummer Patrick Hannan.
26/06/1962
Jerome Kersey, American basketball player and coach (died 2015)
Jerome Kersey was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Portland Trail Blazers (1984–1995), Golden State Warriors (1995–96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996–97), Seattle SuperSonics (1997–98), San Antonio Spurs (1998–2000), and Milwaukee Bucks (2000–01).
26/06/1961
Greg LeMond, American cyclist
Gregory James LeMond is an American former road racing cyclist. He won the Tour de France three times, and the Road Race World Championship twice, becoming the only American male to win the former.
Terri Nunn, American singer-songwriter and actress
Terri Kathleen Nunn is an American singer and actress. She is known as the vocalist of the 1980s new wave and synth-pop band Berlin.
26/06/1960
Mark Durkan, Irish politician
Mark Durkan is a retired Irish nationalist politician from Northern Ireland. Durkan was the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from November 2001 to October 2002, and the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2001 to 2010. He contested the Dublin constituency for Fine Gael at the 2019 European Parliament election.
26/06/1959
Mark McKinney, Canadian actor and screenwriter
Mark Douglas Brown McKinney is a Canadian actor and comedian. He is best known as a member of the sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, which includes starring in the 1989 to 1995 TV series The Kids in the Hall and 1996 feature film Brain Candy. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986, and returned as a cast member from 1995 to 1997; and from 2003 to 2006, he co-created, wrote and starred in the series Slings & Arrows. He also appeared as Tom in FXX's Man Seeking Woman. From 2015 to 2021, he appeared as store manager Glenn Sturgis on NBC's Superstore.
26/06/1957
Al Hunter Ashton, English actor and screenwriter (died 2007)
Al Hunter Ashton, born Alan Hunter, was a British actor and script writer.
Philippe Couillard, Canadian surgeon and politician, 31st Premier of Quebec
Philippe Couillard is a Canadian business advisor and former neurosurgeon, university professor and politician who served as 31st premier of Quebec from 2014 to 2018. Between 2003 and 2008, he was Quebec's Minister of Health and Social Services in Jean Charest's Liberal government and was MNA for Mont-Royal until he resigned in 2008. In the 2014 election, Couillard moved to the riding of Roberval, where he resides. He was the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party from 2013 to 2018. He resigned as Liberal leader and MNA on October 4, 2018.
Patty Smyth, American singer-songwriter and musician
Patricia Smyth, also known as Patty Smyth-McEnroe, is an American singer and songwriter. She gained national attention as the lead vocalist of rock band Scandal and went on to record and perform as a solo artist. Her distinctive voice and new wave image gained broad exposure through video recordings aired on cable music video channels such as MTV. Her debut solo album Never Enough was well received, and generated a pair of Top 100 hits. In 1992, her hit single "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough," a duet with Don Henley of the Eagles, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. She performed and co-wrote "Look What Love Has Done" with James Ingram for the 1994 film Junior. The work earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
26/06/1956
Chris Isaak, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
Christopher Joseph Isaak is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. Noted for his reverb-laden rockabilly revivalist style and wide vocal range, he is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song "Wicked Game" as well as international hits "Blue Hotel", "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing", and "Somebody's Crying".
Catherine Samba-Panza, interim president of the Central African Republic
Catherine Samba-Panza is a Central African politician who served as Transitional President of the Central African Republic from 2014 to 2016. She was the first woman to serve as head of state in the Central African Republic. Prior to her tenure as acting president, she was the Mayor of Bangui from 2013 to 2014.
Patrick Mercer, English colonel and politician
Patrick John Mercer is an English author and former politician. He was elected as a Conservative in the 2001 general election, until resigning the party's parliamentary whip in May 2013 following questions surrounding paid advocacy, and was an Independent MP representing the constituency of Newark in Parliament until his resignation at the end of April 2014 when a Standards Committee report recommended suspending him for six months for "sustained and pervasive breach of the house's rules". He was Conservative shadow homeland security minister from 2003 to 2007, when David Cameron forced him to resign after he had made remarks about racism which Cameron found unacceptable.
26/06/1955
Mick Jones, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
Michael Geoffrey Jones is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of punk rock band the Clash, until his dismissal by frontman Joe Strummer in 1983. In 1984, he formed Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts. Jones has played with the band Carbon/Silicon along with Tony James since 2002 and was part of the Gorillaz live band for a world tour in 2010. In late 2011, Jones collaborated with Pete Wylie and members of the Farm to form the Justice Tonight Band.
Gedde Watanabe, American actor
Gary "Gedde" Watanabe is an American actor. He is known for voicing the character of Ling in the animated film Mulan (1998) and its sequel Mulan II (2004), as well as playing Long Duk Dong in the film Sixteen Candles (1984), Takahara "Kaz" Kazihiro in Gung Ho (1986), and Nurse Yosh Takata in the NBC medical drama ER from 1997 to 2003. He was also an original cast member of the Stephen Sondheim musical Pacific Overtures.
26/06/1954
Luis Arconada, Spanish footballer
Luis Miguel Arconada Etxarri is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
26/06/1952
Gordon McQueen, Scottish footballer and manager (died 2023)
Gordon McQueen was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre-back for St Mirren, Leeds United and Manchester United, in addition to the Scotland national team.
Olive Morris, Jamaican-English civil rights activist (died 1979)
Olive Elaine Morris was a Jamaican-born British-based community leader and activist in the feminist, black nationalist, and squatters' rights campaigns of the 1970s. At the age of 17, she claimed she was assaulted by Metropolitan Police officers following an incident involving a Nigerian diplomat in Brixton, South London. She joined the British Black Panthers, becoming a Marxist–Leninist communist and a radical feminist. She squatted buildings on Railton Road in Brixton; one hosted Sabarr Books and later became the 121 Centre, another was used as offices by the Race Today collective. Morris became a key organiser in the Black Women's Movement in the United Kingdom, co-founding the Brixton Black Women's Group and the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent in London.
Simon Mann, British military officer and mercenary (died 2025)
Simon Francis Mann was a British officer in the Special Air Service (SAS), and later a mercenary. He trained to be an officer at Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Scots Guards. He later became a member of the SAS, and on leaving the military, he co-founded Sandline International with fellow ex-Scots Guards colonel Tim Spicer in 1996. Sandline operated mostly in Angola and Sierra Leone, but public protests against a contract with the government of Papua New Guinea led to the resignation of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, in what became known as the Sandline affair.
26/06/1951
Gary Gilmour, Australian cricketer and manager (died 2014)
Gary John Gilmour was an Australian cricketer who played in 15 test matches and five One Day Internationals (ODIs) between 1973 and 1977. He was a part of the Australian squad that finished as runners-up at the 1975 Cricket World Cup.
26/06/1949
Fredric Brandt, American dermatologist and author (died 2015)
Fredric Sheldon Brandt was an American physician, researcher, lecturer, author, and radio host specializing in cosmetic dermatology. Among the first to use botulinum toxin ("botox") and fillers, Brandt was noted for his role in the FDA approval of numerous fillers and botulinum toxins for cosmetic use in the United States.
Adrian Gurvitz, English singer-songwriter and producer
Adrian Israel Gurvitz is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. His prolific songwriting ability has gained him hits with Eddie Money's No. 1 Billboard Mainstream Rock hit "The Love in Your Eyes" and with his own song "Classic", a No. 8 UK hit single, as well as the top 10 UK Rock Chart single "Race with the Devil", with his band the Gun. He also co-wrote the track "Even If My Heart Would Break" from the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack The Bodyguard. His early bands the Gun, Three Man Army and the Baker Gurvitz Army were major influences to the first wave of the British hard rock circuit. Gurvitz also gained notability as a lead guitarist, known for his intricate, hard-driving solos. Gurvitz was placed at No. 9 by Chris Welch of Melody Maker’s "Best Guitarists in the World" list.
Mary Styles Harris, American biologist and geneticist
Mary Styles Harris is an American biologist and geneticist, president of Harris & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia, and owner of BioTechnical Communications, which produced the television documentary "To My Sister...A Gift for Life."
26/06/1946
Candace Pert, American neuroscientist and pharmacologist (died 2013)
Candace Beebe Pert was an American neuroscientist and pharmacologist who discovered the opioid receptor, the cellular binding site for endorphins in the brain.
26/06/1945
Issa al-Haadi al-Mahdi (Dwight York), American criminal, black supremacist, pedophile, convicted child molester, and musician
Dwight York, also known as Malachi Z. York, Issa al-Haadi al-Mahdi, et alii, is an American religious leader, best known as the founder of the Nuwaubian Nation, a new religious movement that has existed in some form and under various different names since the 1960s. The Nuwaubian Nation is identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group advocating black supremacy. Other observers describe the Nuwaubian Nation as "an African-American spiritual movement" that had taken different forms since its inception.
26/06/1944
Gennady Zyuganov, Russian politician
Gennady Andreyevich Zyuganov is a Russian politician who has been the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation since 1993 and a member of the State Duma since 1994. He is also the chair of the Union of Communist Parties – Communist Party of the Soviet Union (UCP-CPSU) since 2001. Zyuganov ran for President of Russia four times, most controversially in 1996, when he lost in the second round to Boris Yeltsin.
26/06/1943
Georgie Fame, English singer, pianist, and keyboard player
Georgie Fame is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the only British music act to have achieved three UK No. 1 hits with his only top 10 chart entries: "Yeh, Yeh" in 1964, "Get Away" in 1966 and "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" in 1968.
Warren Farrell, American author and educator
Warren Thomas Farrell is an American author, educator, and activist who has written about gender, particularly men's issues. Initially active in the second wave feminist movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, Farrell was a board member of the National Organization for Women in New York City and authored The Liberated Man (1974), which explored how traditional gender roles constrained both men and women. He obtained his doctorate in political science on the topic in 1974. His role-reversal workshops in the 1970s and early 1980s brought him mainstream attention. Over time, he grew critical of feminism and shifted his focus toward highlighting the disadvantages and challenges faced by men.
26/06/1942
J. J. Dillon, American wrestler and manager
James Morrison is an American retired professional wrestler and manager, better known by his ring name, J. J. Dillon.
Gilberto Gil, Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and politician, Brazilian Minister of Culture
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including rock, Brazilian genres including samba, African music, and reggae.
26/06/1941
Yves Beauchemin, Canadian author and academic
Yves Beauchemin is a Québécois novelist.
26/06/1939
Chuck Robb, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 64th Governor of Virginia
Charles Spittal Robb is an American former U.S. Marine Corps officer and politician who served as the 64th governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986 and a United States senator representing Virginia from 1989 until 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, Robb sought a third term in the U.S. Senate in 2000, but was defeated by Republican George Allen, another former governor.
Zainuddin Maidin, Malaysian politician (died 2018)
Zainuddin bin Maidin was a Malaysian politician and the former Information Minister in the Malaysian cabinet representing United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition government. He was the member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Merbok constituency for one term, from 24 March 2004 to 8 March 2008. In 2018, he quit UMNO and joined Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition government. He was also the former Chief Editor of Utusan Melayu-turned-fierce critic, the oldest Malay language newspaper in Malaysia.
26/06/1938
Neil Abercrombie, American sociologist and politician, 7th Governor of Hawaii
Neil Abercrombie is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Billy Davis Jr., American pop-soul singer
Billy Davis Jr. is an American singer and musician, best known as a member of the 5th Dimension. Along with his wife Marilyn McCoo, he had hit records during the 1960's and 1970's with "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In", "I Hope We Get to Love in Time", "Your Love", and "You Don't Have to Be a Star ". Davis and McCoo were married in 1969. They became the first African-American married couple to host a network television series, titled The Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. Show, on CBS in the summer of 1977, the year "You Don't Have to Be a Star " won a Grammy Award.
Gerald North, American climatologist and academic
Gerald R. North is Distinguished Professor and Holder of the Harold J. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences at Texas A&M University, and previous Head of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. His interests include climate change using simplified climate models.
26/06/1937
Robert Coleman Richardson, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2013)
Robert Coleman Richardson was an American experimental physicist whose area of research included sub-millikelvin temperature studies of helium-3. Richardson, along with David Lee, as senior researchers, and then graduate student Douglas Osheroff, shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics for their 1972 discovery of the property of superfluidity in helium-3 atoms in the Cornell University Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics.
Reggie Workman, American bassist and composer
Reginald "Reggie" Workman is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey, in addition to Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Trio Three, Trio Transition, the Reggie Workman Ensemble, and collaborative projects with dance, poetry and drama.
26/06/1936
Benjamin Adekunle, Nigerian general (died 2014)
Benjamin Adesanya Maja Adekunle was a Nigerian military officer and prominent military figure during the Nigerian Civil War.
Hal Greer, American basketball player (died 2018)
Harold Everett Greer was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1958 through 1973. A guard, Greer was a 10-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second Team seven times. He was named to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and his uniform number was among Philadelphia 76ers retired numbers. Greer is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, Scottish politician (died 2020)
Robert Adam Ross "Bob" Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, was a British Liberal Democrat politician and life peer.
Edith Pearlman, American short story writer (died 2023)
Edith Ann Pearlman was an American short story writer.
Jean-Claude Turcotte, Canadian cardinal (died 2015)
Jean-Claude Turcotte was a Canadian Roman Catholic cardinal who served as the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal from 1990 to 2012.
Nancy Willard, American author and poet (died 2017)
Nancy Willard was an American writer: novelist, poet, author and occasional illustrator of children's books. She won the 1982 Newbery Medal for A Visit to William Blake's Inn.
26/06/1935
Carlo Facetti, Italian race car driver
Carlo Giovanni Facetti is a former racing driver from Italy, mainly known for his success in touring car and sports car racing. In his single attempt at Formula One he failed to qualify for the 1974 Italian Grand Prix with a Brabham BT42 run by the Scuderia Finotto team.
Sandro Riminucci, Italian basketball player
Alessandro "Sandro" Riminucci is a retired Italian professional basketball player. His nickname as a player, was "The Blonde Angel", due to his leaping ability. In 2006, he was inducted into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame.
26/06/1934
Dave Grusin, American pianist and composer
Robert David Grusin is an American composer, arranger, producer, jazz pianist, and band leader. He has composed many scores for feature films and television and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy Award and 10 Grammy Awards. Grusin was also a frequent collaborator with director Sydney Pollack, scoring many of his films like Three Days of the Condor (1975), Absence of Malice (1981), Tootsie (1982), The Firm (1993), and Random Hearts (1999). In 1978, Grusin founded GRP Records with Larry Rosen, and was an early pioneer of digital recording.
Toru Goto, Japanese swimmer
Toru Goto is a former freestyle swimmer from Japan, who represented his native country at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. There he won a silver medal as a member of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay team, alongside Yoshihiro Hamaguchi, Hiroshi Suzuki and Teijiro Tanikawa.
26/06/1933
Claudio Abbado, Italian conductor (died 2014)
Claudio Abbado was an Italian conductor who was one of the leading conductors of his generation. He served as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Vienna State Opera, founder and director of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, founder and director of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, founding artistic director of the Orchestra Mozart and music director of the European Union Youth Orchestra. He was recipient of the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and Senator for life in Italy.
Gene Green, American baseball player (died 1981)
Gene Leroy Green was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and catcher who played all or portions of seven MLB seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals (1957–1959), Baltimore Orioles (1960), Washington Senators (1961), Cleveland Indians (1962–1963) and Cincinnati Reds (1963). A right-handed batter and thrower, he stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg).
David Winnick, English politician (died 2026)
David Julian Winnick was a British Labour Party politician who served 42 years as a Member of Parliament (MP), for Walsall North between 1979 and 2017, he was also the MP for Croydon South from 1966 to 1970.
26/06/1932
Dame Marguerite Pindling, Bahamian politician; Governor-General of the Bahamas
Dame Marguerite Pindling, Lady Pindling, is a former diplomat who served as the tenth governor-general of the Bahamas, from 8 July 2014 to 28 June 2019. She is the second female governor-general of the Bahamas after Dame Ivy Dumont.
Don Valentine, American venture capitalist (died 2019)
Donald Thomas Valentine was an American venture capitalist who concentrated mainly on technology companies in the United States. Valentine was born and educated in New York, and first came to California during military service, an experience that led him to remain in the region where he would later shape the venture capital industry.
26/06/1931
Colin Wilson, English philosopher and author (died 2013)
Colin Henry Wilson was an English existentialist philosopher-novelist. He also wrote widely on true crime, mysticism and the paranormal, eventually writing more than a hundred books. Wilson called his philosophy "new existentialism" or "phenomenological existentialism", and maintained his life work was "that of a philosopher, and (his) purpose to create a new and optimistic existentialism".
26/06/1930
Jackie Fargo, American wrestler and trainer (died 2013)
Henry Faggart was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jackie Fargo. He competed in Southeastern regional promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Wolfgang Schwanitz, East German secret police (died 2022)
Wolfgang Schwanitz was a German intelligence official, who was the last head of the Stasi, the East German secret police. It was officially renamed the "Office for National Security" on 17 November 1989. Unlike his predecessor, Erich Mielke, he did not hold the title "Minister of State Security", but held the title of "Leader of the Office for National Security". Following the German reunification, he was active as an author of works that sought to portray the Stasi in a positive light.
26/06/1929
June Bronhill, Australian soprano and actress (died 2005)
June Mary Bronhill, also known as June Gough, was an Australian coloratura soprano opera singer, performer and actress,
Fred Bruemmer, Latvian-Canadian photographer and author (died 2013)
Fred Bruemmer, D.Litt. was a Latvian Canadian nature photographer and researcher. He spent his life travelling extensively throughout the circumpolar regions and to other remote parts of the globe. His works have been centered mostly on the Arctic, its people and its animals. He also conducted research and published on animals in many other areas of the globe. He spoke nine languages and wrote more than a thousand articles for publications around the world, including Canadian Geographic, Natural History, National Geographic and Smithsonian. Fred Bruemmer lived in Montreal, Quebec.
Milton Glaser, American illustrator and graphic designer (died 2020)
Milton Glaser was an American graphic designer whose most recognized works include the I ❤ NY logo, the 1966 Bob Dylan poster, as well as late 1960s publicity posters for the introduction of the Olivetti Valentine typewriter, and logos for DC Comics, Stony Brook University, Brooklyn Brewery
26/06/1928
Jacob Druckman, American composer and academic (died 1996)
Jacob Raphael Druckman was an American composer.
Yoshiro Nakamatsu, Japanese inventor
Yoshiro Nakamatsu , also known as Dr. NakaMats , is a Japanese inventor. He regularly appears on Japanese talk shows demonstrating his inventions. Nakamatsu is known as a perennial candidate in Japanese politics, having contested elections regularly since the early 1990s.
Bill Sheffield, American politician; 5th Governor of Alaska (died 2022)
William Jennings Sheffield Jr. was an American Democratic politician who was the fifth governor of Alaska from 1982 to 1986. Sheffield's term in the governor's mansion was marked by controversy including attempts to have him impeached.
Samuel Belzberg, Canadian businessman and philanthropist (died 2018)
Samuel Belzberg, was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist.
26/06/1927
Robert Kroetsch, Canadian author and poet (died 2011)
Robert Paul Kroetsch was a Canadian novelist, poet and nonfiction writer. In his fiction and critical essays, as well as in the journal he co-founded, boundary 2, he was an influential figure in Canada in introducing ideas about postmodernism.
26/06/1926
Kenny Baker, American fiddler (died 2011)
Kenneth Clayton Baker was an American fiddle player best known for his 25-year tenure with Bill Monroe and his group The Blue Grass Boys.
Mahendra Bhatnagar, Indian poet (died 2020)
Mahendra Bhatnagar was an Indian Hindi and English poet. He is seen as one of the significant post-independence voices in his field of poetry, who expressed lyricism and pathos, as well as aspirations and yearnings of the modern Indian intellect.
Fernando Mönckeberg Barros, Chilean surgeon
Fernando Rafael Mönckeberg Barros is a Chilean surgeon, doctor of medicine specializing in nutrition, professor, researcher, and economist at the University of Chile. He is the founder of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology of the University of Chile (INTA) and president of the Corporation for Child Nutrition (CONIN).
Dinu Zamfirescu, Romanian politician
Gabriel Toma Nicolae Constantin "Dinu" Zamfirescu is a Romanian politician, former political prisoner during Communism, BBC reporter, human rights activist, researcher of Communist archives, founder of the National Institute for the Memory of Romanian Exile, and one of the 12 founding members of the Romanian National Liberal Party (PNL) after the 1989 Revolution.
26/06/1925
Pavel Belyayev, Soviet soldier, pilot and cosmonaut (died 1970)
Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev was a Soviet cosmonaut who commanded the historic 1965 Voskhod 2 space mission which saw the first space walk. He had been a fighter pilot with extensive experience in piloting different types of aircraft, and was the first commander of the cosmonaut corps.
Wolfgang Unzicker, German chess player (died 2006)
Wolfgang Unzicker was one of the strongest German chess Grandmasters from 1945 to about 1970. He decided against making chess his profession, choosing law instead. Unzicker was at times the world's strongest amateur chess player, and World Champion Anatoly Karpov called him the "world champion of amateurs".
Jean Frydman, French resistant and businessman (died 2021)
Jean Frydman was a French-Israeli businessman, film and television producer, and a decorated member of the French Resistance during the Second World War. He received the Légion d'honneur for his wartime efforts.
26/06/1924
Kostas Axelos, Greek-French philosopher and author (died 2010)
Kostas Axelos was a Greek-French philosopher.
James W. McCord Jr., CIA officer (died 2017)
James Walter McCord Jr. was an American CIA officer, later head of security for President Richard Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign. He was involved as an electronics expert in the burglaries which precipitated the Watergate scandal.
26/06/1923
Franz-Paul Decker, German conductor (died 2014)
Franz-Paul Decker was a German-born conductor.
Ed Bearss, American military historian and author (died 2020)
Edwin Cole Bearss was an American historian of the American Civil War, tour guide, and United States Marine Corps veteran of World War II.
26/06/1922
Walter Farley, American author (died 1989)
Walter Farley was an American author, primarily of horse stories for children. His first and most famous work was The Black Stallion (1941), the success of which led to many sequels over decades; the series has been continued since his death by his son Steven.
Eleanor Parker, American actress (died 2013)
Eleanor Jean Parker was an American actress. She was nominated for three Academy Awards for her roles in the films Caged (1950), Detective Story (1951), and Interrupted Melody (1955), the first of which won her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. She was also known for her roles in the films Of Human Bondage (1946), Scaramouche (1952), The Naked Jungle (1954), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), A Hole in the Head (1959), The Sound of Music (1965), and The Oscar (1966).
Enzo Apicella, English artist, cartoonist, designer, and restaurateur (died 2018)
Vincenzo "Enzo" Apicella, FCSD was an Italian London-based artist, cartoonist, designer, and restaurateur.
26/06/1921
Violette Szabo, French-British secret agent (died 1945)
Violette Reine Elizabeth Szabo, GC was a British-French Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent during the Second World War and a posthumous recipient of the George Cross. On her second mission into occupied France, Szabo was captured by the German army, interrogated, tortured, and deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany, where she was executed.
Robert Everett, American computer scientist (died 2018)
Robert Rivers Everett was an American computer scientist. He was an honorary board member of the MITRE Corporation. He was born in Yonkers, New York.
26/06/1920
Jean-Pierre Roy, Canadian-American baseball player, manager, and sportscaster (died 2014)
Jean-Pierre Roy was a Canadian pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in three games during the 1946 season for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was born in Montreal, Quebec.
26/06/1919
Richard Neustadt, American political scientist and academic (died 2003)
Richard Elliott Neustadt was an American political scientist specializing in the United States presidency. He served as adviser to several presidents. His book Presidential Power has been described as "one of the most influential books ever written about political leadership." Thinking In Time: The Uses Of History For Decision Makers won the Grawemeyer Award. His other books include Alliance Politics, Preparing to be President, and, with Harvey V. Fineberg, The Swine Flu Affair: Decision-Making on a Slippery Disease.
Jimmy Newberry, American pitcher (died 1983)
James Lee Newberry, nicknamed "Schoolboy", was an American pitcher in the Negro leagues and in the Japanese Pacific League.
George Athan Billias, American historian (died 2018)
George Athan Billias was an American historian.
Donald M. Ashton, English art director (died 2004)
Donald M. Ashton was an Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning English art director most noted for his work on such films as Billy Budd (1962), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) and Young Winston (1972).
26/06/1918
Leo Rosner, Polish-born Austrian Jewish musician (died 2008)
Leopold Rosner was a Polish-born Australian musician. Rosner, who was Jewish, survived the Holocaust in Nazi concentration camps during World War II by playing his accordion for Nazi officials. This earned the attention of Oskar Schindler, who saved his life by having him placed on his famous list. His story became known after Australian author Thomas Keneally's 1982 novel, Schindler's Ark, was adapted into Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning film, Schindler's List. He appeared in the epilogue of the film at the Schindler's grave on Mount Zion.
Raleigh Rhodes, American combat fighter pilot (died 2007)
Raleigh Ernest Rhodes, who often went by the nickname of Raleigh "Dusty" Rhodes, was an American World War II combat fighter pilot and the third leader of the Blue Angels flight team.
J. B. Fuqua, American entrepreneur and philanthropist (died 2006)
John Brooks Fuqua was an American businessman, philanthropist, and chairman of The Fuqua Companies and Fuqua Enterprises. The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University is named after him, as is the Fuqua School in Farmville, Virginia. He was active in politics for the Democratic Party, serving in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly and serving four years as the state party chair.
26/06/1917
Idriz Ajeti, Albanian albanologist (died 2019)
Idriz Ajeti was an Albanologist from Kosovo and one of the main researchers and authorities on the Albanian language studies of post World War II. He was involved for a long period in the academic life of the University of Pristina, and was a member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, serving as its chairman for seven years.
26/06/1916
Virginia Satir, American psychotherapist and author (died 1988)
Virginia Satir was an American author, clinical social worker and psychotherapist, recognized for her approach to family therapy. Her pioneering work in the field of family reconstruction therapy honored her with the title "Mother of Family Therapy". Her best known books are Conjoint Family Therapy, 1964, Peoplemaking, 1972, and The New Peoplemaking, 1988.
Giuseppe Taddei, Italian actor and singer (died 2010)
Giuseppe Taddei was an Italian baritone, who, during his career, performed multiple operas composed by numerous composers.
26/06/1915
Paul Castellano, American gangster (died 1985)
Constantino Paul Castellano was an American crime boss who succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family of New York City. Castellano ran the organization from 1976 until his murder on December 16, 1985.
George Haigh, English professional footballer (died 2019)
George Haigh was an English professional footballer, mainly known for his association with Stockport County. At the age of 103, he was the oldest surviving former County player, and had been widely attributed for being the oldest surviving former professional footballer, although Arthur Smith was one month older at the time of Haigh's death.
Charlotte Zolotow, American author and poet (died 2013)
Charlotte Zolotow was an American writer, poet, editor, and publisher of many books for children. She wrote about 70 picture book texts.
26/06/1914
Laurie Lee, English author and poet (died 1997)
Laurence Edward Alan Lee, was an English poet, novelist and screenwriter, who was brought up in the small village of Slad in Gloucestershire.
Sultan Ahmad Nanupuri, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and teacher (died 1997)
Shah Sultan Ahmad Nanupuri, also known by his daak naam Badshah, was a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, teacher and author. He established numerous madrasas in Bangladesh and was the founding principal of Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiah Obaidia Nanupur for seventeen years.
Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, European royalty (died 2001)
Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark was by birth a Greek and Danish princess, as well as a princess of Hesse-Kassel and a princess of Hanover through her successive marriages to Prince Christoph of Hesse and Prince George William of Hanover. An elder sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, she was, for a time, linked to the Nazi regime.
26/06/1913
Aimé Césaire, French poet, author, and politician (died 2008)
Aimé Fernand David Césaire was an Afro-Martinican French poet, author, and politician. He was one of the founders of the Négritude movement in Francophone literature and coined the word "négritude" in French. He founded the Parti progressiste martiniquais in 1958, and served in the French National Assembly from 1945 to 1993 and as President of the Regional Council of Martinique from 1983 to 1988. He was also the Mayor of Fort-de-France for 56 years, from 1945 to 2001.
Maurice Wilkes, English computer scientist and physicist (died 2010)
Sir Maurice Vincent Wilkes was an English computer scientist who designed and helped build the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), one of the earliest stored-program computers, and who invented microprogramming, a method for using stored-program logic to operate the control unit of a central processing unit's circuits. In 1967 he won the ACM Turing Award. At the time of his death, Wilkes was an Emeritus Professor at the University of Cambridge.
26/06/1911
Babe Didrikson Zaharias, American golfer and basketball player (died 1956)
Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball, and track and field. She won two gold medals and a silver in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics before turning to professional golf and winning 10 LPGA major championships.
Bronisław Żurakowski, Polish pilot and engineer (died 2009)
Bronisław Żurakowski was a Polish engineer, aeroplane constructor, and glider test pilot.
26/06/1909
Colonel Tom Parker, Dutch-American talent manager, manager and promoter of Elvis Presley (died 1997)
Colonel Thomas Andrew Parker was a Dutch talent manager and concert promoter, best known for having been the manager of Elvis Presley.
Wolfgang Reitherman, German-American animator, director, and producer (died 1985)
Wolfgang Reitherman, also known and sometimes credited as Woolie Reitherman, was a German-American animator, director and producer. As a member of the "Nine Old Men" at Walt Disney Productions, Reitherman was known for his action-oriented animation.
26/06/1908
Salvador Allende, Chilean physician and politician, 29th President of Chile (died 1973)
Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens was a Chilean socialist politician who served as the 29th president of Chile from 1970 until his suicide in 1973. As a socialist committed to democracy, he has been described as the first Marxist to be elected president in a liberal democracy in Latin America.
26/06/1907
Debs Garms, American baseball player (died 1984)
Debs C. Garms was an American professional baseball player for 12 seasons as an outfielder and third baseman for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals. Garms broke up Johnny Vander Meer's streak of hitless innings in 1938. He won the National League batting title in 1940, hitting .355 for the Pirates despite having played in only 103 games and garnering 358 at bats. Garms' batting title proved very controversial because of his limited playing time. In 1941, he set a then-major league record for consecutive pinch hits with seven, which stood until Dave Philley broke it in 1958.
26/06/1906
Alberto Rabagliati, Italian singer (died 1974)
Alberto Rabagliati was an Italian jazz singer.
Viktor Schreckengost, American sculptor and educator (died 2008)
Viktor Schreckengost was an American industrial designer as well as a teacher, sculptor, and artist. His wide-ranging work included noted pottery designs, industrial design, bicycle design and seminal research on radar feedback. Schreckengost's peers included designers Raymond Loewy, Norman Bel Geddes, Eva Zeisel, and Russel Wright.
26/06/1905
Lynd Ward, American author and illustrator (died 1985)
Lynd Kendall Ward was an American artist and novelist, known for his series of wordless novels using woodcuts, and his illustrations for juvenile and adult books. His wordless novels have influenced the development of the graphic novel. Although strongly associated with his wood engravings, he also worked in watercolor, oil, brush and ink, lithography and mezzotint. Ward was a son of Methodist minister, political organizer and radical social activist Harry F. Ward, the first chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union on its founding in 1920.
26/06/1904
Peter Lorre, Slovak-American actor and singer (died 1964)
Peter Lorre was a Hungarian and American actor, active first in Europe and later in the United States. Known for his timidly devious characters, appearance, and accented voice, he was frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner. He was caricatured throughout his life and his cultural legacy remains in the media today.
26/06/1903
Big Bill Broonzy, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1958)
Big Bill Broonzy, later known as William Lee Broonzy, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he navigated a change in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class black audiences. In the 1950s, a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century.
26/06/1902
Hugues Cuénod, Swiss tenor and educator (died 2010)
Hugues-Adhémar Cuénod was a Swiss classical tenore di grazia, sometimes placed in the haute-contre category, and music educator known for his performances in international opera, operetta, both traditional and musical theatre, and on the concert stage, in character roles where he was particularly known for his clear, light, romantic and expressive poised interpretation of mélodie.
26/06/1901
Stuart Symington, American lieutenant and politician, 1st United States Secretary of the Air Force (died 1988)
William Stuart Symington III was an American businessman and Democratic politician from Missouri. He served as the first secretary of the Air Force from 1947 to 1950 and was a United States senator from Missouri from 1953 to 1976.
26/06/1899
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia (died 1918)
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia 26 June [O.S. 14 June] 1899 – 17 July 1918) was the third daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. Her murder following the Russian Revolution of 1917 resulted in her canonization as a passion bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.
26/06/1898
Willy Messerschmitt, German engineer and businessman (died 1978)
Wilhelm Emil "Willy" Messerschmitt was a German aircraft designer and manufacturer who designed a number of prominent aircraft for the Luftwaffe and civil aviation.
Chesty Puller, US general (died 1971)
Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was a United States Marine Corps officer. Beginning his career fighting guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua as part of the Banana Wars, he later served with distinction in World War II and the Korean War as a senior officer. By the time of his retirement in 1955, he had reached the rank of lieutenant general.
26/06/1895
George Hainsworth, Canadian ice hockey player and politician (died 1950)
George Henry Hainsworth was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Western Canada Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
26/06/1893
Dorothy Fuldheim, American journalist and news anchor (died 1989)
Dorothy Fuldheim was an American journalist and news anchor who spent the majority of her career at The Cleveland Press and WEWS-TV, both based in Cleveland, Ohio.
26/06/1892
Pearl S. Buck, American novelist, essayist, short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1973)
Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and humanitarian. She is best known for The Good Earth, the best-selling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932, which won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China" and for her "masterpieces", two memoir-biographies of her missionary parents.
26/06/1881
Ya'akov Cohen, Israeli linguist, poet, and playwright (died 1960)
Ya'akov Cahan or Kahan was an Israeli poet, playwright, translator, writer and Hebrew linguist.
26/06/1880
Mitchell Lewis, American actor (died 1956)
Mitchell Joseph Lewis was an American film actor whose career as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player encompassed both silent and sound films.
26/06/1878
Leopold Löwenheim, German mathematician and logician (died 1957)
Leopold Löwenheim [ˈle:o:pɔl̩d ˈlø:vɛnhaɪm] was a German mathematician doing work in mathematical logic. The Nazi regime forced him to retire because under the Nuremberg Laws he was considered only three quarters Aryan. In 1943 much of his work was destroyed during a bombing raid on Berlin. Nevertheless, he survived the Second World War, after which he resumed teaching mathematics.
26/06/1869
Martin Andersen Nexø, Danish journalist and author (died 1954)
Martin Andersen Nexø was a Danish writer. He was one of the authors in the Modern Breakthrough movement in Danish art and literature. He was a socialist throughout his life and during the Second World War moved to the Soviet Union, and afterwards to Dresden in East Germany.
26/06/1866
George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, English archaeologist and banker, backer in the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb (died 1923)
George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, styled Lord Porchester until 1890, was an English peer and aristocrat best known as the financial backer of the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
26/06/1865
Bernard Berenson, Lithuanian-American historian and author (died 1959)
Bernard Berenson was an American art historian specializing in the Renaissance. His book The Drawings of the Florentine Painters was an international success. His wife Mary is thought to have had a large hand in some of the writings.
26/06/1854
Robert Laird Borden, Canadian lawyer and politician, 8th Prime Minister of Canada (died 1937)
Sir Robert Laird Borden was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World War I.
26/06/1852
Daoud Corm, Lebanese painter (died 1930)
Daoud Corm, also known as David Corm in English, was an influential Lebanese painter and the father of writer, industrialist, and philanthropist Charles Corm. He was a teacher and mentor to the young Khalil Gibran as well as Khalil Saleeby and Habib Srour.
26/06/1839
Sam Watkins, American soldier and author (died 1901)
Samuel Rush Watkins was an American writer and humorist. He fought through the entire American Civil War and saw action in many battles in the western theater. Today, he is best known for his memoir Co. Aytch (1882), which recounts his life as a soldier in the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment.
26/06/1835
Thomas W. Knox, American journalist and author (died 1896)
Thomas Wallace Knox was an American journalist, author, and world traveler, known primarily for his work as a New York Herald correspondent during the American Civil War. As an author, Knox wrote over 45 books, including a popular series of travel adventure books for boys.
26/06/1824
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, Irish-Scottish physicist and engineer (died 1907)
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was a Scottish mathematician, mathematical physicist and engineer.
26/06/1821
Bartolomé Mitre, Argentinian soldier, journalist, and politician, 6th President of Argentina (died 1906)
Bartolomé Mitre was an Argentine general, statesman and author. He was President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868 and the first president of unified Argentina.
26/06/1819
Abner Doubleday, American general (died 1893)
Abner Doubleday was a career United States Army officer and Union major general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg was his finest hour, but his relief by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade caused lasting enmity between the two men. In San Francisco, after the war, he obtained a patent on the cable car railway that still runs there. In his final years in New Jersey, he was a prominent member and later president of the Theosophical Society.
26/06/1817
Branwell Brontë, English painter and poet (died 1848)
Patrick Branwell Brontë was an English poet and artist. He was the only son of the Brontë literary family, and brother of the writers Charlotte, Emily, and Anne.
26/06/1798
Wolfgang Menzel, German poet and critic (died 1873)
Wolfgang Menzel was a German poet, critic and literary historian, who was born in Waldenburg (Wałbrzych) in Prussian Silesia.
26/06/1796
Jan Paweł Lelewel, Polish painter and engineer (died 1847)
Jan Paweł Lelewel was a Polish military and civil engineer, builder, and painter.
26/06/1786
Sunthorn Phu, Thai poet (died 1855)
Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) (Thai: พระสุนทรโวหาร (ภู่), RTGS: Phra Sunthonwohan (Phu), pronounced [pʰá.sǔn.tʰɔ̄ːn.woː.hǎːn.pʰûː]; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu (Thai: สุนทรภู่, RTGS: Sunthonphu, pronounced [sǔn.tʰɔ̄ːn.pʰûː]), was a Thai poet. He is often referred to as the "Shakespeare of Thailand." Born four years after the founding of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, he entered royal service as a court scribe during the reign of King Rama II. After the King's death, he ordained as a monk for nearly 20 years before returning to government service near the end of King Rama III's reign. He served as a scribe to Prince Chuthamani, later known as Krom Khun Isaret Rangsan. During the reign of King Mongkut, he was promoted to the rank of Phra Sunthorn Vohara, Chief of the Department of Royal Scribes of the Front Palace, his final official position before his death.
26/06/1764
Jan Paweł Łuszczewski, Polish politician (died 1812)
Jan Paweł Łuszczewski was a Polish politician who was an envoy to the Four-Year Sejm and later the Minister for Interior and Religious Affairs in the Duchy of Warsaw from 5 October 1807 until his death. He was also a Mason.
26/06/1730
Charles Messier, French astronomer and academic (died 1817)
Charles Messier was a French astronomer. He published an astronomical catalogue consisting of 110 nebulae and star clusters, which came to be known as the Messier objects, referred to with the letter M and their number between 1 and 110. Messier's purpose for the catalogue was to help astronomical observers distinguish between permanent and transient visually diffuse objects in the sky.
26/06/1726
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia (died 1796)
Victor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from 20 February 1773 to his death in 1796. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until he declared war on Revolutionary France in 1792. He was the father of the last three mainline kings of Sardinia.
26/06/1703
Thomas Clap, American minister and academic (died 1767)
Thomas Clap or Thomas Clapp was an American academic and educator, a Congregational minister, and college administrator. He was both the fifth rector and the earliest official to be called "president" of Yale College (1740–1766). He is best known for his successful reform of Yale in the 1740s, partnering with the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson to restructure the forty-year-old institution along more modern lines. He convinced the Connecticut Assembly to exempt Yale from paying taxes. He opened a second college house and doubled the size of the college.
26/06/1702
Philip Doddridge, English hymn-writer and educator (died 1751)
Philip Doddridge D.D. was an English Nonconformist minister, educator, and hymnwriter.
26/06/1699
Marie Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin, French businesswoman (died 1777)
Marie Thérèse Geoffrin was a French salon holder who has been referred to as one of the leading female figures in the French Enlightenment. From 1750 to 1777, Madame Geoffrin played host to many of the most influential Philosophes and Encyclopédistes of her time.
26/06/1694
Georg Brandt, Swedish chemist and mineralogist (died 1768)
Georg Brandt was a Swedish chemist and mineralogist who discovered cobalt c. 1735. He was the first person to discover a metal unknown in ancient times. He is also known for exposing fraudulent alchemists operating during his lifetime.
26/06/1689
Edward Holyoke, American pastor and academic (died 1769)
Edward Holyoke was an American Congregationalist clergyman who served as the president of Harvard College from 1737 to 1769.
26/06/1681
Hedvig Sophia of Sweden (died 1708)
Hedvig Sophia Augusta of Sweden, Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp, was the eldest child of Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrike Eleonore of Denmark. She was heiress presumptive to the Swedish throne from her birth until that of her brother one year later and again from the start of his reign as King of Sweden, in 1697, until her death and the regent of the duchy of Holstein-Gottorp for her minor son from 1702 to 1708. Some sources refer to her as Sofia.
26/06/1600
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Spanish-born bishop and viceroy of New Spain (died 1659)
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza was a Spanish politician, administrator, and Catholic clergyman in 17th century Spain and a viceroy of Mexico.
26/06/1581
San Pedro Claver, Spanish Jesuit saint (died 1654)
Peter Claver was a Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary born in Verdú, Catalonia, Spain, who, due to his life and work, became the patron saint of slaves, Colombia, and ministry to African Americans.
26/06/1575
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg (died 1612)
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg was Queen of Denmark and Norway from 1597 to 1612 as the first spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark.
26/06/1467
Ferdinand II of Naples (died 1496)
Ferdinand II was King of Naples from 1495 to 1496. He was the son of Alfonso II of Naples and the grandson of Ferrante I of Naples.
26/06/1399
John, Count of Angoulême (died 1467)
John of Orléans, Count of Angoulême and Périgord, was the younger son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, and Valentina Visconti, and grandson of Charles V of France. He was the younger brother of the noted poet, Charles, Duke of Orléans, and paternal grandfather of Francis I of France.
01/01/1970
Agrippa Postumus, Roman son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder (died 14)
Marcus Agrippa Postumus, later named Agrippa Julius Caesar, was a grandson of Roman Emperor Augustus. He was the youngest child of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. Augustus initially considered Postumus as a potential successor and formally adopted him as his heir, before banishing Postumus from Rome in AD 6 on account of his ferocia. In effect, though not in law, the action cancelled his adoption and virtually assured Tiberius' emplacement as Augustus' sole heir. Postumus was ultimately executed by his own guards shortly after Augustus' death in AD 14.
Lives Remembered on 26th June
On 26th June, 111 remarkable people passed away — from -116 to 2025. Remember the lives and legacies of those we lost on this day.
26/06/2025
Carolyn McCarthy, American nurse and politician (born 1944)
Carolyn McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New York's 4th congressional district from 1997 to 2015. A native of the suburban Long Island community of Mineola, New York, she worked as a nurse and was a registered Republican. However, she was motivated to enter politics after her husband was killed and her son was wounded in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting. She became an advocate for gun control legislation, and in 1996, she was elected to the House as a Democrat, defeating a Republican incumbent. She served a total of nine terms.
Bill Moyers, American journalist, 13th White House Press Secretary (born 1934)
Billy Don Moyers was an American journalist and political commentator who served as the eleventh White House Press Secretary from 1965 to 1967 during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. He also served as the de facto White House Chief of Staff for a brief period from 1964 until 1965.
Lalo Schifrin, Argentinian pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1932)
Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin was an Argentine and American pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. Initially prominent as a jazz composer, he was best known for his large body of film and television scores, which incorporates jazz and Latin American musical elements alongside traditional orchestration.
Takutai Tarsh Kemp, New Zealand politician (born 1975)
Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp was a New Zealand politician, community health leader and hip hop dance director. She won the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate in the 2023 New Zealand general election and was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for Te Pāti Māori until her death.
26/06/2024
Taiki Matsuno, Japanese voice actor (born 1967)
Taiki Matsuno was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Shinagawa, Tokyo. He was attached to Aoni Production. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was Tatsuya Matsuno. Matsuno is most known for the role of Hajime Kindaichi in Kindaichi Case Files, Kōga in Inuyasha, SpongeBob in the Japanese dub of SpongeBob SquarePants, Tart in Fresh Pretty Cure!, Ling Tong and Liu Shan from Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series, Agumon in Digimon Savers, and Shurikenger in Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger. Matsuno died of a cerebral hemorrhage on June 26, 2024.
26/06/2022
Margaret Keane, American artist (born 1927)
Margaret D. H. Keane was an American artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. She mainly painted women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media. The work achieved commercial success through inexpensive reproductions on prints, plates, and cups. The artwork was originally attributed to Keane's then-husband, Walter Keane. Soon after their divorce in the 1960s, Margaret claimed credit, which was established after a courtroom "paint-off" in Hawaii, in which Walter refused to participate.
26/06/2021
Mike Gravel, American politician (born 1930)
Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel was an American politician and writer who represented Alaska in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1981 as a member of the Democratic Party. He ran for president twice: in 2008 and 2020. He was the fourth U.S. Senator in Alaska's history.
26/06/2020
Milton Glaser, American graphic designer (born 1929)
Milton Glaser was an American graphic designer whose most recognized works include the I ❤ NY logo, the 1966 Bob Dylan poster, as well as late 1960s publicity posters for the introduction of the Olivetti Valentine typewriter, and logos for DC Comics, Stony Brook University, Brooklyn Brewery
26/06/2019
Beth Chapman, American reality Television star, Bounty Hunter (born 1967)
Alice Elizabeth Chapman was an American bounty hunter and reality star who co-starred with her husband, Duane "Dog" Chapman, on the reality television shows Dog the Bounty Hunter, Dog and Beth: On the Hunt, and Dog's Most Wanted.
26/06/2015
Yevgeny Primakov, Ukrainian-Russian journalist and politician, 32nd Prime Minister of Russia (born 1929)
Yevgeny Maksimovich Primakov was a Russian politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1998 to 1999. During his long career, he also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 1998, the Director of Foreign Intelligence from 1991 to 1996, and Speaker of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union from 1990 to 1991. Primakov was an academician (Arabist) and a member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Chris Thompson, American screenwriter and producer (born 1952)
Chris Thompson was an American television writer and producer. Beginning in 1977, he wrote and produced for the television series Laverne & Shirley and The Larry Sanders Show. He had also created, written and produced Bosom Buddies, The Naked Truth, Action, Ladies Man and the Disney Channel original series, Shake It Up, as well co-written the feature films Jumpin' Jack Flash and Back to the Beach.
26/06/2014
Howard Baker, American lawyer, politician, and diplomat, 12th White House Chief of Staff (born 1925)
Howard Henry Baker Jr. was an American politician, diplomat and photographer who served as a United States senator from Tennessee from 1967 to 1985. During his tenure, he rose to the rank of Senate minority leader and then Senate majority leader. A member of the Republican Party, Baker was the first Republican to be elected to the U.S. Senate in Tennessee since the Reconstruction era.
Bill Frank, American-Canadian football player (born 1938)
William B. Frank, Jr. was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Colorado. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Rollin King, American businessman, co-founded Southwest Airlines (born 1931)
Rollin W. King was an American businessman and investment consultant. He is best known as the co-founder and former director of Southwest Airlines.
Bob Mischak, American football player and coach (born 1932)
Robert Michael Mischak (Pronounced: MIH-shak) was a college and professional American football guard and tight end who played six seasons in the American Football League (AFL), from 1960 to 1965. He was selected by his peers as a Sporting News AFL All-League guard in 1960 and 1961. He was an AFL Eastern Division All-Star in 1962. He also played in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and was a starting guard in the famed 1958 "Greatest Game Ever Played". In addition, Mischak was a 3-time Super Bowl champion coach with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
Julius Rudel, Austrian-American conductor (born 1921)
Julius Rudel was an Austrian-born American opera and orchestra conductor. He was born in Vienna and was a student at the city's Academy of Music. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 17 in 1938 after the country was annexed by Germany.
Mary Rodgers, American composer and author (born 1931)
Mary Rodgers was an American composer, screenwriter, and author. She wrote the 1972 novel Freaky Friday, which served as the basis of a 1976 film starring Jodie Foster, for which she wrote the screenplay, as well as three other versions. Her best-known musicals were Once Upon a Mattress and The Mad Show, and she contributed songs to Marlo Thomas' successful 1972 children's album Free to Be... You and Me.
26/06/2013
Henrik Otto Donner, Finnish trumpet player and composer (born 1939)
Henrik Otto Donner was a Finnish composer, musician and all-round music personality. His musical styles varied from pop and rock music to jazz, electronic music and contemporary classical music. Donner's personal instrument was trumpet. He was a member of the famous Finland Swedish Donner family.
Edward Huggins Johnstone, Brazilian-American sergeant and judge (born 1922)
Edward Huggins Johnstone was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
Byron Looper, American politician (born 1964)
Byron Looper was a Democratic turned Republican politician in Tennessee and convicted murderer. To advance his political career, he legally changed his middle name from "Anthony" to "(Low Tax)", including the parentheses. After being convicted for the October 1998 assassination of his election opponent, incumbent Tennessee State Senator Tommy Burks, he was given a life sentence in prison. He died in prison in 2013.
Justin Miller, American baseball player (born 1977)
Justin Mark Miller was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Miller was the inspiration for the "Justin Miller rule" requiring pitchers with arm tattoos to wear long-sleeved shirts.
Marc Rich, Belgian-American businessman (born 1934)
Marc Rich was a Belgian-American commodities trader, financier, and businessman. He founded the commodities company Glencore, and was later indicted in the United States on federal charges of tax evasion, wire fraud, racketeering, and selling Iranian oil to Israel during the Iran hostage crisis. He fled to Switzerland at the time of the indictment and never returned to the United States.
26/06/2012
Sverker Åström, Swedish diplomat, Swedish Permanent Representative to the United Nations (born 1915)
Carl Sverker Åström was a Swedish diplomat. After completing his studies, Åström began his career as an attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. He served in the Soviet Union during World War II and later held posts in Washington, D.C., and London, rising to key leadership roles at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. From 1964 to 1970, he served as Sweden's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, followed by leading Sweden's EEC treaty negotiations. He later became State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and ambassador to France before retiring in 1982.
Pat Cummings, American basketball player (born 1956)
Pat Cummings was an American professional basketball player.
Nora Ephron, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1941)
Nora Ephron was an American writer, playwright, journalist, and filmmaker. Known for writing and directing romantic comedy films, she received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, and three Writers Guild of America Awards.
Mario O'Hara, Filipino director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1944)
Mario Herrero O'Hara was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages.
Doris Singleton, American actress (born 1919)
Dorthea "Doris" Singleton was an American actress, perhaps best remembered as Lucy Ricardo's frenemy, Carolyn Appleby, in I Love Lucy.
26/06/2011
Edith Fellows, American actress (born 1923)
Edith Marilyn Fellows was an American actress who became a child star in the 1930s. Best known for playing orphans and street urchins, Fellows was an expressive actress with a good singing voice. She made her screen debut at the age of five in Charley Chase's film short Movie Night (1929). Her first credited role in a feature film was The Rider of Death Valley (1932). By 1935, she had appeared in over twenty films. Her performance opposite Claudette Colbert and Melvyn Douglas in She Married Her Boss (1935) won her a seven-year contract with Columbia Pictures, the first such contract offered to a child.
Jan van Beveren, Dutch footballer and coach (born 1948)
Jan van Beveren was a Dutch footballer and coach, who played as a goalkeeper.
26/06/2010
Algirdas Brazauskas, Lithuanian engineer and politician, 4th President of Lithuania (born 1932)
Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was the fourth president of Lithuania, in office from 1993 to 1998. He also served as Prime Minister of Lithuania from 2001 to 2006. Brazauskas was the first democratically elected president of post-Soviet Lithuania.
Harald Keres, Estonian physicist and academic (born 1912)
Harald Keres was an Estonian physicist considered to be the father of the Estonian school of relativistic gravitation theory. In 1961 Keres became a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences in the field of theoretical physics. In 1996 Keres was awarded the Order of the National Coat of Arms, Class III.
26/06/2007
Liz Claiborne, Belgian-American fashion designer, founded Liz Claiborne (born 1929)
Anne Elisabeth Jane Claiborne was an American fashion designer and businesswoman. Her success was built upon stylish yet affordable apparel for career women featuring colorfully tailored separates that could be mixed and matched. Claiborne co-founded Liz Claiborne Inc., which in 1986 became the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500 list. Claiborne was the first woman to become chair and CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Joey Sadler, New Zealand rugby player (born 1914)
Bernard Sydney "Joey" Sadler was a New Zealand rugby union player who played at halfback for the All Blacks in 1935–36.
26/06/2006
Tommy Wonder, Dutch magician (born 1953)
Tommy Wonder was the stage name of Jacobus Maria Bemelman, a Dutch magician who performed both close-up and stage magic. Wonder performed in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and on Fox television.
26/06/2005
Tõnno Lepmets, Estonian basketball player (born 1938)
Tõnno Lepmets was an Estonian professional basketball player, who competed for the Soviet Union. He won gold with the Soviet basketball team at the 1963 and 1967 EuroBasket. Elected to the Hall of fame of Estonian basketball in 2010. He was he long-time center (194 cm) of Estonian national team.
Richard Whiteley, English journalist and game show host (born 1943)
John Richard Whiteley was an English presenter and journalist, best known for his 23 years as host of the game show Countdown. Countdown was the launch programme for Channel 4 at 4:45 pm on 2 November 1982, and Whiteley was the first person to be seen on the channel. Whiteley enjoyed projecting the image of an absent-minded eccentric. His trademarks were his jolly, avuncular manner, his fondness for puns, and his bold, sometimes garish wardrobe.
26/06/2004
Ott Arder, Estonian poet and translator (born 1950)
Ott Arder was an Estonian poet, children's writer and translator. He was also the author of several popular songs and written texts.
Yash Johar, Indian film producer, founded Dharma Productions (born 1929)
Yash Johar was an Indian film producer and the founder of Dharma Productions. His films were known for their lavish sets, exotic locations, and emphasis on Indian traditions and family values. He was the father of Karan Johar, a prominent filmmaker who now leads Dharma Productions.
Naomi Shemer, Israeli singer-songwriter (born 1930)
Naomi Shemer was an Israeli songwriter, composer, and performer, widely described as the "first lady of Israeli song". She became one of the most influential figures in modern Hebrew music, writing numerous songs that became cultural touchstones, most notably "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav", which gained prominence after the Six-Day War and is often regarded as a second national anthem. Over a career spanning several decades, Shemer created music for adults and children, contributed to major festivals and cultural events, and became widely recognized for shaping the Israeli songbook.
26/06/2003
Marc-Vivien Foé, Cameroon footballer (born 1975)
Marc-Vivien Foé was a Cameroonian professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder.
Denis Thatcher, English soldier and businessman (born 1915)
Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, was an English businessman and the husband of Margaret Thatcher, who served as the first female British prime minister from 1979 to 1990; thus, he became the first male prime ministerial spouse.
Strom Thurmond, American general, lawyer, and politician, 103rd Governor of South Carolina (born 1902)
James Strom Thurmond Sr. was an American politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to 2003. Before his 47 years as a senator, he served as the 103rd governor of South Carolina from 1947 to 1951. Thurmond was officially a member of the Democratic Party in the Senate until 1964, when he joined the Republican Party. He had earlier run for president in 1948 as the Dixiecrat candidate in opposition to Democratic president Harry S. Truman, receiving over a million votes and winning four states.
26/06/2002
Jay Berwanger, American football player (born 1914)
John Jacob "Jay" Berwanger was an American college football player and referee. In 1935, Berwanger was the first recipient of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, renamed the Heisman Trophy the following year. At its inception, the award was given to "the most valuable player east of the Mississippi." In 1936, Berwanger became the first player drafted into the National Football League in its inaugural 1936 NFL draft, although he did not play professionally due to a salary dispute.
Arnold Brown, English-Canadian 11th General of The Salvation Army (born 1913)
Arnold Brown was the 11th General of The Salvation Army (1977–1981).
26/06/2001
Gina Cigna, French-Italian soprano (born 1900)
Gina Cigna was a French-Italian dramatic soprano.
26/06/1998
Hacı Sabancı, Turkish businessman and philanthropist (born 1935)
Hacı Sabancı was a Turkish businessman, philanthropist, and second-generation member of the renowned Sabancı family.
26/06/1997
Don Hutson, American football player and coach (born 1913)
Donald Montgomery Hutson, nicknamed "the Alabama Antelope", was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). In the era of the one-platoon football, he played as an end and spent his entire 11-year career with the Green Bay Packers. Under head coach Curly Lambeau, Hutson led the Packers to four NFL Championship Games, winning three in 1936, 1939, and 1944.
26/06/1996
Veronica Guerin, Irish journalist (born 1958)
Veronica Guerin Turley was an Irish investigative journalist focusing on organised crime in Ireland, who was murdered in a contract killing believed to have been ordered by a South Dublin-based drug cartel. Born in Dublin, she was an athlete in school and later played on the Irish national teams for both Association football and basketball. After studying accountancy she ran a public-relations firm for seven years, before working for Fianna Fáil and as an election agent for Seán Haughey. She became a reporter in 1990, writing for the Sunday Business Post and Sunday Tribune. In 1994 she began writing articles about the Irish criminal underworld for the Sunday Independent. In 1996, after pressing charges for assault against major organised crime figure John Gilligan, Guerin was ambushed and fatally shot in her vehicle while waiting at a traffic light. The shooting caused national outrage in Ireland. Investigation into her death led to a number of arrests and convictions.
Necmettin Hacıeminoğlu, Turkish linguist and academic (born 1932)
Necmettin Hacıeminoğlu was a Turkish poet, linguist and writer.
26/06/1994
Jahanara Imam, Bangladeshi author and activist (born 1929)
Jahanara Imam was a Bangladeshi writer and political activist. She is known for her efforts to bring war criminals to trial for war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War. She has been called "Shaheed Janani".
26/06/1993
Roy Campanella, American baseball player and coach (born 1921)
Roy Campanella, nicknamed "Campy", was an American professional baseball player, primarily as a catcher. The Philadelphia native played in the Negro leagues and Mexican League for nine years before entering the minor leagues in 1946. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 1948 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, for whom he played until 1957. His playing career ended when he was paralyzed in an automobile crash in January 1958. A three-time MVP, he is considered one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game.
William H. Riker, American political scientist and academic (born 1920)
William Harrison Riker was an American political scientist known for applying game theory and mathematics to political science. He helped establish University of Rochester as a center of the behavioral revolution in political science.
26/06/1992
Buddy Rogers, American wrestler (born 1921)
Buddy Rogers, better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, was an American professional wrestler who was one of the biggest professional wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era. His performances influenced future professional wrestlers, including "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Rogers's nickname, as well as his look, attitude and finishing hold, the figure-four leglock. He was also known for his rivalry with Lou Thesz, both in and out of the ring.
26/06/1990
Anni Blomqvist, Finnish author (born 1909)
Anni Viktoria Blomqvist was a Finland-Swedish novelist.
26/06/1989
Howard Charles Green, Canadian lawyer and politician, 27th Canadian Minister of Public Works (born 1895)
Howard Charles Green was a Canadian federal politician.
26/06/1982
Alexander Mitscherlich, German psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (born 1908)
Alexander Harbord Mitscherlich was a German psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.
26/06/1979
Akwasi Afrifa, Ghanaian soldier and politician, 3rd Head of State of Ghana (born 1936)
Lieutenant General Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa was a Ghanaian soldier, farmer, traditional ruler and politician. He was the head of state of Ghana and leader of the military government in 1969 and then chairman of the Presidential Commission between 1969 and 1970. He continued as a farmer and political activist. He was elected a member of Parliament in 1979, but he was executed before he could take his seat. He was executed together with two other former heads of state, General Kutu Acheampong and General Fred Akuffo, and five other generals, in June 1979. He was also popularly referred to by his title Okatakyie Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa and was in addition the abakomahene of Krobo in the Asante-Mampong Traditional Area of the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
26/06/1975
Josemaría Escrivá, Spanish priest and saint (born 1902)
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás was a Spanish Catholic priest who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the principle of everyday holiness. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
26/06/1967
Françoise Dorléac, French actress and singer (born 1942)
Françoise Paulette Louise Dorléac was a French actress. She was the elder sister of Sylvie Dorléac and Catherine Deneuve, with whom she starred in the musical comedy film, The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967). Her other films include Philippe de Broca's That Man from Rio, François Truffaut's The Soft Skin, Val Guest's Where the Spies Are (1965), and Roman Polanski's Cul-de-sac (1966).
26/06/1964
Léo Dandurand, American-Canadian businessman (born 1889)
Joseph Viateur "Léo" Dandurand, was an American-Canadian sportsman and businessman. He was the owner and coach of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). He also was an owner of race tracks and of the Montreal Alouettes football team in the league that evolved into the Canadian Football League.
26/06/1958
George Orton, Canadian runner and hurdler (born 1873)
George Washington F. Orton was a Canadian middle and long-distance runner. In 1900, he became the first Canadian to win a medal at an Olympic Games. He won a bronze in the 400 metre hurdles, and then, forty-five minutes later, won the gold medal in the 2500 metre steeplechase. He was the first athlete with a disability to win an Olympic gold medal. At the University of Pennsylvania, for whom he competed while earning his Masters and Doctorate and completed his ability to speak 9 languages, he was captain of Penn's track and field team in 1896 and was a founder and captain of its ice hockey team in 1896–1897, and was known as "The Father of Philadelphia Hockey". He won seventeen U.S. National Track and Field titles.
Andrija Štampar, Croatian physician and scholar (born 1888)
Andrija Štampar was a distinguished scholar in the field of social medicine from Croatia.
26/06/1957
Alfred Döblin, Polish-German physician and author (born 1878)
Bruno Alfred Döblin was a German novelist, essayist, and doctor, best known for his novel Berlin Alexanderplatz (1929). A prolific writer whose œuvre spans more than half a century and a wide variety of literary movements and styles, Döblin is one of the most important figures of German literary modernism. His complete works comprise over a dozen novels ranging in genre from historical novels to science fiction to novels about the modern metropolis; several dramas, radio plays, and screenplays; a true crime story; a travel account; two book-length philosophical treatises; scores of essays on politics, religion, art, and society; and numerous letters—his complete works, republished by Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag and Fischer Verlag, span more than thirty volumes. His first published novel, Die drei Sprünge des Wang-lung, appeared in 1915 and his final novel, Hamlet oder Die lange Nacht nimmt ein Ende was published in 1956, one year before his death.
Malcolm Lowry, English novelist and poet (born 1909)
Clarence Malcolm Lowry was an English poet and novelist who is best known for his 1947 novel Under the Volcano, which was voted No. 11 in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels list.
26/06/1956
Clifford Brown, American trumpet player and composer (born 1930)
Clifford Benjamin Brown was an American jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car crash, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His compositions "Sandu", "Joy Spring", and "Daahoud" have become jazz standards. Brown won the DownBeat magazine Critics' Poll for New Star of the Year in 1954; he was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1972.
Richie Powell, American pianist (born 1931)
Richard Powell was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was not assisted in his musical development by Bud, his older and better known brother, but both played predominantly in the bebop style.
26/06/1955
Engelbert Zaschka, German engineer (born 1895)
Engelbert Zaschka was a German chief engineer, chief designer and inventor. Zaschka is one of the first German helicopter pioneers and he is a pioneer of flying with muscle power and the folding car. Zaschka devoted himself primarily to aviation and automotive topics, but his work was not limited to them.
26/06/1949
Kim Koo, South Korean educator and politician, 13th President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (born 1876)
Kim Ku, also known by his art name Paekpŏm, was a Korean independence activist and statesman. He was a leader of the Korean independence movement against the Empire of Japan, head of the Korean Provisional Government from 1926 to 1927 and from 1940 to 1945, and a Korean reunification activist after 1945. Kim is revered in South Korea, where he is considered one of the greatest figures in Korean history; his legacy is also somewhat less enthusiastically celebrated in North Korea, due to his anti-communist views.
26/06/1947
R. B. Bennett, Canadian lawyer and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Canada (born 1870)
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935.
26/06/1946
Max Kögel, German SS officer (born 1895)
Otto Max Koegel was a Nazi officer who served as a commander at Lichtenburg, Ravensbrück, Majdanek and Flossenbürg concentration camps. In 1946 he was arrested for his role in The Holocaust, but hanged himself in prison before he could stand trial.
Yōsuke Matsuoka, Japanese politician, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1880)
Yōsuke Matsuoka was a Japanese diplomat and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Japan during the early stages of World War II. He is best known for his defiant speech at the League of Nations in February 1933, ending Japan's participation in the organization. He was also one of the architects of the Tripartite Pact and the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in the years immediately prior to the outbreak of war.
26/06/1945
Emil Hácha, Czech lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Czechoslovakia (born 1872)
Emil Dominik Josef Hácha was a Czech lawyer, serving as the president of Czechoslovakia from November 1938 to March 1939. In March 1939, after the breakup of Czechoslovakia, Hácha was the nominal president of the newly proclaimed German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
26/06/1943
Karl Landsteiner, Austrian biologist and physician, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1868)
Karl Landsteiner was an Austrian-American biologist, physician, and immunologist. He emigrated with his family to New York in 1923 at the age of 55 for professional opportunities, working for the Rockefeller Institute.
26/06/1939
Ford Madox Ford, English novelist, poet, and critic (born 1873)
Ford Madox Ford was an English novelist, poet, critic and editor whose journals The English Review and The Transatlantic Review were important in the development of early 20th-century English and American literature.
26/06/1938
James Weldon Johnson, American poet, lawyer and politician (born 1871)
James Weldon Johnson was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was married to civil rights activist Grace Nail Johnson. Johnson was a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he started working in 1917. In 1920, he was chosen as executive secretary of the organization, effectively the operating officer. He served in that position from 1920 to 1930. In 1928 and then again in 1930 he received Rosenwald fellowships from the Rosenwald Fund to write Black Manhattan.
Daria Pratt, American golfer (born 1859)
Myra Abigail Pratt née Pankhurst and formerly Wright, later Daria, Princess Karageorgevich was an American golfer who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics representing France. She won the bronze medal in the women's competition. By virtue of her third marriage, she was member of the House of Karađorđević.
26/06/1932
Adelaide Ames, American astronomer and academic (born 1900)
Adelaide Ames was an American astronomer and research assistant at Harvard University. She was best known for her work on detailed surveys of the brightest extra-galactic spiral nebulae. She contributed to the study of galaxies with her co-authorship of A Survey of the External Galaxies Brighter Than the Thirteenth Magnitude, which was later known as the Shapley-Ames catalog. Ames was a member of the American Astronomical Society. She was a contemporary of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and her closest friend at the observatory.
26/06/1927
Armand Guillaumin, French painter (born 1841)
Armand Guillaumin was a French Impressionist painter and lithographer.
26/06/1922
Albert I, Prince of Monaco (born 1848)
Albert I was Prince of Monaco from 10 September 1889 until his death in 1922. He devoted much of his life to oceanography, exploration and science. Alongside his expeditions, Albert I's reign oversaw major reforms on political, social, and economic levels, with the Monégasque Revolution leading to the end of absolute monarchy and his promulgation of a constitution in 1911.
26/06/1918
Peter Rosegger, Austrian poet and author (born 1843)
Peter Rosegger was an Austrian writer and poet from Krieglach in the province of Styria. He was a son of a mountain farmer and grew up in the woodlands and mountains of Alpl. Rosegger went on to become a most prolific poet and author as well as an insightful teacher and visionary.
26/06/1883
Edward Sabine, Irish-English astronomer, geophysicist, and ornithologist (born 1788)
Sir Edward Sabine was an Irish physicist, geodesist,astronomer, geophysicist, ornithologist, polar explorer, soldier, and the 30th president of the Royal Society.
26/06/1879
Richard H. Anderson, American general (born 1821)
Richard Heron Anderson was a career U.S. Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, fighting in the Eastern Theater of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Anderson was also noted for his humility.
26/06/1878
Mercedes of Orléans (born 1860)
María de las Mercedes of Orléans was Queen of Spain as the first wife of King Alfonso XII. She was born in Madrid, the daughter of Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier, and Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain.
26/06/1870
Armand Barbès, French lawyer and politician (born 1809)
Armand Barbès was a French Republican revolutionary and an opponent of the July Monarchy (1830–1848).
26/06/1860
George Montgomery White, American politician (born 1828)
George Montgomery White was an American politician in North Carolina who was a two-term member of the North Carolina House of Commons from Bladen County.
26/06/1856
Max Stirner, German philosopher and author (born 1806)
Johann Caspar Schmidt, known by the pen name Max Stirner, was a German philosopher, dealing mainly with the Hegelian notion of social alienation and self-consciousness. Stirner is often seen as one of the forerunners of nihilism, existentialism, psychoanalytic theory, postmodernism, individualist anarchism, and egoism.
26/06/1836
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French soldier and composer (born 1760)
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle was a French army officer of the French Revolutionary Wars. Lisle is known for writing La Marseillaise and it became the French national anthem.
26/06/1830
George IV of the United Kingdom (born 1762)
George IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III, having done so since 5 February 1811 during his father's final mental illness.
26/06/1810
Joseph-Michel Montgolfier, French inventor, co-invented the hot air balloon (born 1740)
The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune Annonay in Ardèche, France. They invented the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique, which launched the first confirmed piloted ascent by humans in 1783, carrying Jacques-Étienne.
26/06/1808
Ludwik Tyszkiewicz, Polish poet and politician (born 1748)
Ludwik Skumin Tyszkiewicz was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman (szlachcic) and Field Lithuanian Hetman from 1780 to 1791, Grand Treasurer of Lithuania from 1791, Great Lithuanian Marshal from 1793. Member of the Targowica Confederation.
26/06/1798
James Dickey, Irish revolutionary (born 1776)
James Dickey was a young barrister from a Presbyterian family in Crumlin in the north of Ireland who was active in the Society of the United Irishmen and was hanged with Henry Joy McCracken for leading rebels at the Battle of Antrim.
26/06/1795
Johannes Jährig, German linguist and translator (born 1747)
Johannes Jährig was a German Mongolist and translator of Tibetan and Mongolian texts.
26/06/1793
Gilbert White, English ornithologist and ecologist (born 1720)
Gilbert White was a "parson-naturalist", a pioneering English naturalist, ecologist, and ornithologist. He is best known for his Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne.
26/06/1784
Caesar Rodney, American lawyer and politician, 4th Governor of Delaware (born 1728)
Caesar Rodney was an American Founding Father, lawyer, and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware. He was an officer of the Delaware militia during the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence, and president of Delaware during most of the American Revolution.
26/06/1757
Maximilian Ulysses Browne, Austrian field marshal (born 1705)
Maximilian Ulysses, Reichsgraf von Browne, Baron de Camus and Mountany was an Austrian military officer, one of the highest-ranking officers serving the Habsburg Emperor during the middle of the 18th century. An Irish refugee, he was a scion of the Wild Geese.
26/06/1752
Giulio Alberoni, Spanish cardinal (born 1664)
Giulio Alberoni was an Italian cardinal and statesman in the service of Philip V of Spain.
26/06/1688
Ralph Cudworth, English philosopher and academic (born 1617)
Ralph Cudworth was an English Anglican clergyman, Christian Hebraist, classicist, theologian and philosopher, and a leading figure among the Cambridge Platonists who became 11th Regius Professor of Hebrew (1645–1688), 26th Master of Clare Hall (1645–1654), and 14th Master of Christ's College (1654–1688). A leading opponent of Hobbes's political and philosophical views, his magnum opus was his The True Intellectual System of the Universe (1678).
26/06/1677
Francesco Buonamici, Italian architect, painter and engraver (born 1596)
Francesco Buonamici was an Italian Baroque architect, painter and engraver who was active in Lucca, Malta, Sicily and Rome during the 17th century. He played a significant role in the introduction of Baroque in Malta.
26/06/1574
Gabriel, comte de Montgomery, captain of the Scottish Guard of Henry II of France (born 1530)
Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery, Lord of Lorges and Ducey, was a French nobleman of Scottish extraction and captain of the Scots Guard of King Henry II of France. He is remembered for mortally injuring Henry II in a jousting accident and subsequently converting to Protestantism, the faith that the Scots Guard sought to suppress. He later became a leader of the Huguenots and was executed for his actions in the French Wars of Religion. In French-language contexts, his name is spelled Montgommery.
26/06/1541
Francisco Pizarro, Spanish explorer and politician, Governor of New Castile (born c. 1471)
Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
26/06/1487
John Argyropoulos, Byzantine philosopher and scholar (born 1415)
John Argyropoulos was a lecturer, philosopher, and humanist, one of the émigré Greek scholars who pioneered the revival of classical Greek learning in 15th century Italy.
26/06/1274
Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Persian scientist and writer (born 1201)
Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Ṭūsī, also known as Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī or simply as (al-)Tusi, was a Persian polymath, architect, philosopher, physician, scientist, and theologian. Nasir al-Din al-Tusi was a well published author, writing on subjects of math, engineering, prose, and mysticism. Additionally, al-Tusi made several scientific advancements. In astronomy, al-Tusi created very accurate tables of planetary motion, an updated planetary model, and critiques of Ptolemaic astronomy. He also made strides in logic, mathematics but especially trigonometry, biology, and chemistry. Nasir al-Din al-Tusi left behind a great legacy as well. Tusi is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of medieval Islam, since he is often considered the creator of trigonometry as a mathematical discipline in its own right. The Muslim scholar Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) considered Tusi to be the greatest of the later Persian scholars. There is also reason to believe that he may have influenced Copernican heliocentrism.
26/06/1265
Anne of Bohemia, duchess of Silesia (born 1203 or 1204)
Anne of Bohemia, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, was Duchess of Silesia and High Duchess of Poland from 1238 to 1241, by her marriage to the Piast ruler Henry II the Pious. She was celebrated by the community of Franciscan nuns at St Clara of Prague Abbey in Wrocław as their founder and patron.
26/06/1095
Robert, bishop of Hereford
Robert the Lotharingian was a priest who became Bishop of Hereford following the Norman Conquest of England. His writings serve as one of the best sources for information on the process of compiling the Domesday Book, and he may have introduced the abacus to England.
26/06/1090
Jaromír, bishop of Prague
Jaromír was the Bishop of Prague from 1068, when he was appointed by his brother, Vratislaus II of Bohemia. The two were both sons of Duke Bretislaus I of Bohemia.
26/06/0985
Ramiro III, king of León
Ramiro III, king of León (966–984), was the son of Sancho the Fat and his successor at the age of only five.
26/06/0969
George El Mozahem, Egyptian martyr (born 940)
George El Mozahem is a Coptic Orthodox martyr and saint.
26/06/0822
Saichō, Japanese Buddhist monk (born 767)
Saichō was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Japanese Tendai school of Buddhism. He was awarded the posthumous title of Dengyō Daishi (伝教大師).
26/06/0405
Vigilius, bishop of Trent (born 353)
Vigilius of Trent is venerated as the patron saint and bishop of Trent.
26/06/0363
Julian the Apostate, Roman emperor (born 332)
Julian was the Caesar of the West from 355 to 360 and Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek. His rejection of Christianity, and his promotion of Neoplatonic Hellenism caused him to be remembered as Julian the Apostate in the Christian tradition.
01/01/1970
Ptolemy VIII, king of Egypt
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Tryphon, nicknamed Physcon, was a king of the Ptolemaic kingdom. He was the younger son of King Ptolemy V and Queen Cleopatra I. His reign was characterised by fierce political and military conflict with his older siblings, Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II.
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 26th June
Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan
Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan is a holiday annually celebrated on June 26 in Azerbaijan, by the decree issued by President Heydar Aliyev, to commemorate the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
Christian feast day: Anthelm of Belley
Anthelm of Belley (1107–1178) was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse and bishop of Belley.
Christian feast day: David the Dendrite
David the Dendrite, also known as David the tree-dweller and David of Thessalonika, is a saint of Thessaloniki. David became a monk at the Monastery of Saints Merkourios and Theodore outside Thessaloniki. Famed for his sound advice, he was hounded by crowds seeking words of wisdom and prayer. Wishing a quiet, contemplative life, David fled to the seclusion of an almond tree, where he lived for three years.
Christian feast day: Hermogius
Hermogius was a Benedictine bishop, and uncle to Pelagius of Cordova.
Christian feast day: Isabel Florence Hapgood (Episcopal Church)
Isabel Florence Hapgood was an American writer and translator, who is renowned for her translations of Russian and French texts. She is best known for her English translations of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables (1887) and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1888), which she published as Notre-Dame de Paris.
Christian feast day: Jeremiah (Lutheran)
Jeremiah, also called Jeremias, and occasionally in older English texts Jeremy, was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah authored the book that bears his name, the Books of Kings, and the Book of Lamentations, with the assistance and under the editorship of Baruch ben Neriah, his scribe and disciple.
Christian feast day: John and Paul
John and Paul are saints who lived during the fourth century in the Roman Empire. They were martyred at Rome on 26 June. The year of their martyrdom is uncertain according to their Acts; it occurred under Julian the Apostate (361–363).
Christian feast day: José María Robles Hurtado (one of Saints of the Cristero War)
José María Robles Hurtado was a Mexican priest and one of several priests martyred during the Cristero War.
Christian feast day: Josemaría Escrivá
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás was a Spanish Catholic priest who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the principle of everyday holiness. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Christian feast day: Mar Abhai (Syriac Orthodox Church)
The Martyrology of Rabban Sliba is a book containing the names and feast days of a number of martyrs of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Christian feast day: Pelagius of Córdoba
Pelagius of Córdoba was a Christian boy who died as a martyr in Córdoba in southern Spain around 926 AD.
Christian feast day: Vigilius of Trent
Vigilius of Trent is venerated as the patron saint and bishop of Trent.
Christian feast day: June 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
June 25 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - June 27
Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Somaliland from United Kingdom in 1960. (Somaliland)
Restoration Day in Somaliland is an annual national celebration observed on 18 May in Somaliland. The holiday commemorates the 1991 restoration of Somaliland's self-governance and sovereignty following the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic.
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (International)
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It is observed annually since 26 June 1989. The date 26 June is to commemorate Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, ending on 25 June 1839, just before the First Opium War in China. The observance was instituted by UN General Assembly Resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987.
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (International)
The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is an international observance held annually on 26 June to speak out against the crime of torture and to honor and support victims and survivors throughout the world. The first 26 June events were launched in 1998.
World Refrigeration Day (International)
World Refrigeration Day is an international day established by the World Refrigeration Day Secretariat in Derbyshire, England. Held annually on 26 June, it was created to raise awareness about the importance of refrigeration technologies in everyday life and to raise the profile of the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat-pump sector. The day was chosen to celebrate the birth date of Lord Kelvin on 26 June 1824.
What Happened on 26th June?
70 significant events took place on Monday, 26th June — stretching from 4 to 2024. Explore the moments that shaped history on this day.
26/06/2024
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, returns to Australia after pleading guilty to one charge of espionage in a Saipan court and subsequently being released by the United States Department of Justice.
Julian Paul Assange is an Australian editor, programmer, and publisher who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He came to international attention in 2010 after WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from Chelsea Manning, a United States Army intelligence analyst: footage of a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad showing war crimes committed by the U.S. Army, U.S. military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and U.S. diplomatic cables. Assange has won over two dozen awards for publishing and journalism.
26/06/2015
Five different terrorist attacks in France, Tunisia, Somalia, Kuwait, and Syria occurred on what was dubbed Bloody Friday by international media. Upwards of 750 people were either killed or injured in these uncoordinated attacks.
On 26 June 2015, attacks occurred in France, Kuwait, and Tunisia, one day following a deadly massacre in Syria. The day of the attacks was dubbed "Bloody Friday" by Anglophone media and "Black Friday" among Francophone media in Europe and North Africa.
The U.S. Supreme Court rules, 5–4, that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
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.
26/06/2013
Riots in China's Xinjiang region kill at least 36 people and injure 21 others.
On 26 June 2013, rioting broke out in Shanshan County, in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, China. 35 people died in the riots, including 22 civilians, two police officers and eleven attackers.
The U.S. Supreme Court rules, 5–4, that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and in violation of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
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.
26/06/2012
The Waldo Canyon fire descends into the Mountain Shadows neighborhood in Colorado Springs, burning 347 homes in a matter of hours and killing two people.
The Waldo Canyon fire was a forest fire that started approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Colorado Springs, Colorado on June 23, 2012, and was declared 100 percent contained on July 10, 2012, after no smoke plumes were visible on a small portion of the containment line on Blodgett Peak. The fire was active in the Pike National Forest and adjoining areas, covering a total of 18,247 acres. The fire had caused the evacuation of over 32,000 residents of Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs and Woodland Park, several small mountain communities along the southwestern side of U.S. Highway 24, and partial evacuation of the United States Air Force Academy. There were 346 homes destroyed by the fire. U.S. Highway 24, a major east–west road, was closed in both directions. The Waldo Canyon Fire resulted in insurance claims totaling more than US $453.7 million. It was the most destructive fire in Colorado state history, as measured by the number of homes destroyed, until the Black Forest Fire surpassed it almost a year later when it consumed 486 homes and damaged 28 others.
26/06/2008
A suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi policeman detonates an explosive vest, killing 25 people.
The 26 June 2008 Karmah bombing was a suicide attack on a meeting of tribal sheiks in the town of Al-Karmah. Three Marines from 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines, as well as twenty Iraqi sheiks and the mayor of Karmah, were killed when a suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi Policeman detonated an explosive vest. Two interpreters were also killed in the blast(Ray and David). The aftermath of the attack was captured on film by photojournalist Zoriah Miller. The commanding officer of 2/3, LtCol Max Galeai and two other Marines from the battalion were killed. In June 2008, it was announced that Anbar would be the tenth province to transfer to Provincial Iraqi Control, the first Sunni Arab region to be handed back. This handover was delayed due to the attack. The handover did occur on September 1, 2008. Two insurgents linked to the bombing were later caught in Tamariya.
26/06/2007
Pope Benedict XVI reinstates the traditional laws of papal election in which a successful candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes.
Pope Benedict XVI was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Following his resignation, he chose to be known as "pope emeritus", a title he held until his death on 31 December 2022.
26/06/2006
Mari Alkatiri, the first Prime Minister of East Timor, resigns after weeks of political unrest.
Mari bin Amude Alkatiri is a Timorese politician. He was Prime Minister of East Timor from May 2002 until his resignation on 26 June 2006 following weeks of political unrest in the country, and again from September 2017 until May 2018. He is the Secretary-General of the Fretilin party and was the former President of the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse.
26/06/2003
The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Lawrence v. Texas that sex-based sodomy laws are unconstitutional.
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.
26/06/2000
The Human Genome Project announces the completion of a "rough draft" sequence.
The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international scientific research project with the goal of determining the base pairs that make up human DNA, and of identifying, mapping and sequencing all of the genes of the human genome from both a physical and a functional standpoint. It started in 1990 and was completed in 2003. It was the world's largest collaborative biological project. Planning for the project began in 1984 by the US government, and it officially launched in 1990. It was declared complete on 14 April 2003, and included about 92% of the genome. Level "complete genome" was achieved in May 2021, with only 0.3% of the bases covered by potential issues. The full gapless sequence containing 22 autosomes and the X chromosome was published in January 2022, making it the first fully sequenced human genome. The full sequence of the Y chromosome was only published in August 2023 due to challenges with sequencing and assembling, caused by its highly repetitive nature.
26/06/1997
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Communications Decency Act violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
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.
J. K. Rowling publishes the first of her Harry Potter novel series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in United Kingdom.
Joanne Rowling, better known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter. She is best known for writing Harry Potter, a seven-volume series about a young wizard which is the best-selling book series in history, with over 600 million copies sold. She writes Cormoran Strike, an ongoing crime fiction series, under the alias Robert Galbraith.
26/06/1995
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani deposes his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, in a bloodless coup d'état.
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is a member of Qatar's royal family, the House of Thani. He was the ruling Emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013 when he abdicated the throne, handing power to his fourth son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who was born to his second wife, Moza bint Nassir. The Qatari government refers to him as the Father Emir.
26/06/1991
Yugoslav Wars: The Yugoslav People's Army begins the Ten-Day War in Slovenia.
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The conflicts both led up to and resulted from the breakup of Yugoslavia, which began in mid-1991, into six independent countries matching the six republics that had previously constituted Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia, which was later renamed to North Macedonia. The breakup of Yugoslavia and the accompanying Yugoslav Wars are commonly attributed to increasing nationalism and unresolved ethnic tensions in Yugoslavia. While most of the conflicts ended through peace accords that involved full international recognition of the new states, they resulted in the deaths of many as well as severe economic damage to the region.
26/06/1988
The first crash of an Airbus A320 occurs when Air France Flight 296Q crashes at Mulhouse–Habsheim Airfield in Habsheim, France, during an air show, killing three of the 136 people on board.
The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus, and is the best-selling airliner ever built. The A320 aircraft programme was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first member of the family was followed by the stretched A321, the shorter A319, and the shortest variant, the A318 . Final assembly takes place in Toulouse in France; Hamburg in Germany; Tianjin in China since 2009; and Mobile, Alabama, in the United States since April 2016.
26/06/1981
Dan-Air Flight 240, flying to East Midlands Airport, crashes in Nailstone, Leicestershire. All three crew members perish.
Dan-Air Flight 240 was a fatal accident involving a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 series 2A turboprop aircraft operated by Dan Air Services Limited on the first stage of a night mail flight from London Gatwick Airport to East Midlands Airport. The crash, which occurred on 26 June 1981 near the village of Nailstone, Leicestershire, following major structural failure caused by the failure of a cabin door, resulted in the aircraft's destruction and the deaths of all three on board.
26/06/1978
Air Canada Flight 189, flying to Toronto, overruns the runway and crashes into the Etobicoke Creek ravine. Two of the 107 passengers on board perish.
Air Canada Flight 189 was a scheduled flight from Ottawa to Vancouver via Toronto and Winnipeg. On June 26, 1978, the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 operating the flight crashed on takeoff in Toronto, killing two passengers; 105 people survived.
26/06/1977
Elvis Presley holds what will prove to be his final concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century. Presley's energetic and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy.
26/06/1975
Two FBI agents and a member of the American Indian Movement are killed in a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; Leonard Peltier is later convicted of the murders in a controversial trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. An agency of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the attorney general and the director of national intelligence. A leading American counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes. The FBI maintains a list of its top 10 most wanted fugitives.
26/06/1974
The Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley's chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
The Universal Product Code is a barcode symbology that is used worldwide for tracking trade items in stores.
26/06/1967
Karol Wojtyła (later John Paul II) is made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI.
Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history, after St. Peter and Pius IX.
26/06/1963
Cold War: U.S. President John F. Kennedy gives his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, underlining the support of the United States for democratic West Germany shortly after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person elected president, at 43 years. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his foreign policy concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both houses of the United States Congress before his presidency.
26/06/1960
The former British Protectorate of British Somaliland gains its independence as Somaliland.
British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate, was a protectorate of the United Kingdom in the territory of modern Somaliland. It was bordered by Italian Somalia, French Somali Coast, and the Ethiopian Empire.
Madagascar gains its independence from France.
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country in the Indian Ocean that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's fourth-largest island, the second-largest island country, and the 46th-largest country overall. Its capital and largest city is Antananarivo.
26/06/1959
Swedish boxer Ingemar Johansson becomes world champion of heavy weight boxing, by defeating American Floyd Patterson on technical knockout after two minutes and three seconds in the third round at Yankee Stadium.
Jens Ingemar "Ingo" Johansson was a Swedish professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1963. He held the world heavyweight title from 1959 to 1960 and was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. Johansson won the title by defeating Floyd Patterson via third-round stoppage, after flooring him seven times in that round. For this achievement, Johansson was awarded the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year—the only non-American in its entire 27-year first run—and was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.
26/06/1955
The South African Congress Alliance adopts the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People in Kliptown.
The Freedom Charter was the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies: the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured People's Congress. It is characterised by its opening demand, "The People Shall Govern!"
26/06/1953
Lavrentiy Beria, head of MVD, is arrested by Nikita Khrushchev and other members of the Politburo.
Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was a Soviet criminal and one of the longest-serving and most influential of Joseph Stalin's secret police chiefs, serving as head of the NKVD from 1938 to 1945 during the country's involvement in the Second World War. He was also a serial rapist and had killed some of his victims. His victims were primarily young women and girls.
26/06/1952
The Pan-Malayan Labour Party is founded in Malaya, as a union of statewide labour parties.
The Labour Party of Malaya was a left-wing political party in the Federation of Malaya and later Malaysia, active from 1952 to 1972. It originated as a confederation of state-based labour parties under the name Pan-Malayan Labour Party (PMLP). As a component of the Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front, the party reached its electoral peak in 1959, but its influence rapidly declined after most of its leadership was detained for political reasons.
26/06/1948
Cold War: The first supply flights are made in response to the Berlin Blockade.
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.
William Shockley files the original patent for the grown-junction transistor, the first bipolar junction transistor.
William Bradford Shockley was an American physicist. He was the manager of a research group at Bell Labs that included John Bardeen and Walter Brattain. The three scientists were jointly awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics "for their researches on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect."
Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is published in The New Yorker magazine.
Shirley Hardie Jackson was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and more than 200 short stories.
26/06/1945
The United Nations Charter is signed by 50 Allied nations in San Francisco, California.
The Charter of the United Nations, also referred to as the UN Charter, is the foundational treaty of the United Nations. It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the United Nations System, including its principal organs: the Secretariat, the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Trusteeship Council. The UN Charter is an important part of public international law, and is the foundation for much of international law governing the use of force, pacific settlement of disputes, arms control, and other important functions of the maintenance of international peace and security.
26/06/1944
World War II: San Marino, a neutral state, is mistakenly bombed by the RAF based on faulty information, leading to 35 civilian deaths.
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino (RSM), is a landlocked country in Southern Europe, completely surrounded by Italy. Located on the northeastern slopes of the Apennine Mountains, it is the larger of two microstates within Italy, the other being Vatican City. San Marino is the fifth-smallest country in the world, with a land area of just over 61 square kilometres (24 sq mi) and a population of 34,042 as of 2025. Its capital, the City of San Marino, sits atop Monte Titano, while its largest settlement is Dogana, in the municipality of Serravalle.
World War II: The Battle of Osuchy in Osuchy, Poland, one of the largest battles between Nazi Germany and Polish resistance forces, ends with the defeat of the latter.
The Battle of Osuchy was one of the largest battles between the Polish resistance and Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II, a part of the Zamość Uprising. It took place near the village of Osuchy in the Solska Forest on 25–26 June 1944 during the German anti-partisan Operation Sturmwind II. The battle ended with the defeat of the local resistance forces that suffered heavy casualties.
26/06/1942
The first flight of the Grumman F6F Hellcat.
The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair, which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings.
26/06/1941
World War II: Soviet planes bomb Kassa, Hungary (now Košice, Slovakia), giving Hungary the impetus to declare war the next day.
The bombing of Kassa took place on 26 June 1941, when still unidentified aircraft conducted an airstrike on the city of Kassa, then part of Hungary, today Košice in Slovakia. This attack became the pretext for the government of Hungary to declare war on the Soviet Union the next day, 27 June.
26/06/1940
World War II: Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Romania requiring it to cede Bessarabia and the northern part of Bukovina.
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.
26/06/1936
Initial flight of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, the first practical helicopter.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 61 was the first successful, practical, and fully controllable helicopter, first flown in 1936. It was also known as the Fa 61, as Focke began a new company—Focke-Achgelis—in 1937.
26/06/1934
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Federal Credit Union Act, which establishes credit unions.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving US president and the only one to have served more than two terms. His first two terms were centered on combating the Great Depression, while his third and fourth focused on US involvement in World War II. A member of the Democratic Party, Roosevelt served in the New York State Senate from 1911 to 1913 and as the 44th governor of New York from 1929 to 1932.
26/06/1927
The Cyclone roller coaster opens on Coney Island.
The Cyclone, also called the Coney Island Cyclone, is a wooden roller coaster at Luna Park in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Designed by Vernon Keenan, it opened to the public on June 26, 1927. The roller coaster is on a plot of land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street. The Cyclone reaches a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and has a total track length of 2,640 feet (800 m), with a maximum height of 75 feet (23 m).
26/06/1924
The American occupation of the Dominican Republic ends after eight years.
The Military Government of Santo Domingo was a provisional military government established during the American occupation of the Dominican Republic that lasted from May 15, 1916 to September 18, 1924. The United States aimed to force the Dominicans to repay their large debts to European creditors, whose governments threatened military intervention. On May 13, 1916, Rear Admiral William B. Caperton forced the Dominican Republic's Secretary of War Desiderio Arias, who had seized power from President Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra, to leave Santo Domingo by threatening the city with naval bombardment.
26/06/1918
World War I: Allied forces under John J. Pershing and James Harbord defeat Imperial German forces under Wilhelm, German Crown Prince in the Battle of Belleau Wood.
For the Allies of the Second World War, see Allies of World War II
26/06/1917
World War I: The American Expeditionary Forces begin to arrive in France. They will first enter combat in the Battle of Hamel on July 4.
World War I, or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. Major areas of conflict included Europe and the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa and the Asia-Pacific. The war saw important developments in weaponry including tanks, aircraft, artillery, machine guns, and chemical weapons. One of the deadliest conflicts in history, it resulted in an estimated 15 to 22 million military and civilian casualties and genocide. The movement of large numbers of people was a major factor in the deadly Spanish flu pandemic.
26/06/1909
The Science Museum in London comes into existence as an independent entity.
The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 2,817,852 visitors in 2025.
26/06/1906
The first Grand Prix motor race is held at Le Mans.
The 1906 Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, commonly known as the 1906 French Grand Prix, was a motor race held on 26 and 27 June 1906, on closed public roads outside the city of Le Mans. The Grand Prix was organised by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) at the prompting of the French automobile industry as an alternative to the Gordon Bennett races, which limited each competing country's number of entries regardless of the size of its industry. France had the largest automobile industry in Europe at the time, and in an attempt to better reflect this the Grand Prix had no limit to the number of entries by any particular country. The ACF chose a 103.18-kilometre (64.11 mi) circuit, composed primarily of dust roads sealed with tar, which would be lapped six times on both days by each competitor, a combined race distance of 1,238.16 kilometres (769.36 mi). Lasting for more than 12 hours overall, the race was won by Ferenc Szisz driving for the Renault team. FIAT driver Felice Nazzaro finished second, and Albert Clément was third in a Clément-Bayard.
26/06/1889
Bangui is founded by Albert Dolisie and Alfred Uzac in what was then the upper reaches of the French Congo.
Bangui is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River ; the Ubangi itself was named from the Bobangi word for the "rapids" located beside the settlement, which marked the end of navigable water north from Brazzaville. The majority of the population of the Central African Republic lives in the western parts of the country, in Bangui and the surrounding area.
26/06/1886
Henri Moissan isolated elemental Fluorine for the first time.
Ferdinand Frédéric Henri Moissan was a French chemist and pharmacist who won the 1906 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in isolating fluorine from its compounds. Among his other contributions, Moissan discovered moissanite and contributed to the development of the electric arc furnace. Moissan was one of the original members of the International Atomic Weights Committee.
26/06/1857
The first investiture of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park, London.
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to service personnel in the broader British Empire, with most successor independent nations now having established their own honours systems and no longer recommending British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command. No civilian has received the award since James Adams in 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.
26/06/1848
End of the June Days Uprising in Paris.
The June Days were an uprising staged by French workers from 22 to 26 June 1848. It was in response to plans to close the National Workshops, created by the Second Republic in order to provide work and a minimal source of income for the unemployed. The National Guard, led by General Louis-Eugène Cavaignac, was called out to quell the rebellion. Over 4,500 people were either killed or injured, while 4,000 insurgents were deported to French Algeria. The uprising marked the end of the hopes of a "democratic and social republic" and the victory of the liberals over the Radical Republicans.
26/06/1843
Treaty of Nanking comes into effect, Hong Kong Island is ceded to the British "in perpetuity".
The Treaty of Nanjing was the peace treaty which ended the First Opium War (1839–1842) between Great Britain and the Qing dynasty of China on 29 August 1842. It was the second of what the Chinese later termed the unequal treaties, after the rejected 1841 Convention of Chuenpi, signed by British Superintendent of trade in China, Charles Elliot, and Qing Imperial Commissioner, Qishan, which the treaty was largely based on.
26/06/1830
William IV becomes king of Britain and Hanover following the death without surviving legitimate issue of his older brother George IV.
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded his elder brother George IV, becoming the last king and penultimate monarch of the United Kingdom's House of Hanover.
26/06/1794
French Revolutionary Wars: Battle of Fleurus marks the first successful military use of aircraft and turns the tide of the War of the First Coalition.
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted France against Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other countries. The wars are divided into two periods: the War of the First Coalition (1792–1797) and the War of the Second Coalition (1798–1802). Initially confined to Europe, the fighting gradually assumed a global dimension. After a decade of constant warfare and aggressive diplomacy, France had conquered territories in the Italian peninsula, the Low Countries, and the Rhineland with its very large and powerful military which had been totally mobilized for war against most of Europe with mass conscription of the vast French population. French success in these conflicts ensured military occupation and the spread of revolutionary principles over much of Europe.
26/06/1740
A combined force of Spanish, free blacks and allied Indians defeat a British garrison at the Siege of Fort Mose near St. Augustine during the War of Jenkins' Ear.
The Battle of Bloody Mose was a significant action of the War of Jenkins' Ear that took place on June 14, 1740, in Spanish Florida. Captain Antonio Salgado commanded a Spanish column of 300 regular troops, backed by the free black militia under Francisco Menéndez and allied Seminole warriors consisting of Indian auxiliaries. They stormed Fort Mose, a strategically crucial position newly held by 170 British soldiers under Colonel John Palmer. Palmer and his garrison had taken the fort from the Spanish as part of James Oglethorpe's offensive to capture St. Augustine.
26/06/1723
After a siege and bombardment by cannon, Baku surrenders to the Russians.
The Russo-Persian War of 1722–1723, known in Russian historiography as the Persian campaign of Peter the Great, was a war between the Russian Empire and Safavid Iran, triggered by the tsar's attempt to expand Russian influence in the Caspian and Caucasus regions and to prevent its rival, the Ottoman Empire, from territorial gains in the region at the expense of declining Safavid Iran.
26/06/1718
Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, Peter the Great's son, mysteriously dies after being sentenced to death by his father for plotting against him.
Alexei Petrovich Romanov, was the Tsarevich of Russia, the eldest son of Tsar Peter I and his first wife, Eudoxia Lopukhina.
26/06/1579
Livonian campaign of Stephen Báthory begins.
The Livonian campaign of Stephen Báthory, also referred to as the Russo-Polish War of 1577–1582, took place in the final stage of the Livonian War, between 1577 and 1582. Polish–Lithuanian forces led by Stephen Báthory successfully fought against the army of Russian tsar Ivan IV over the Duchy of Livonia and Polotsk. Russian forces were expelled from Livonia before the campaign was concluded by the Truce of Jam Zapolski.
26/06/1541
Francisco Pizarro is assassinated in Lima by the son of his former companion and later antagonist, Diego de Almagro the younger. Almagro is later caught and executed.
Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
26/06/1522
Ottomans begin the second Siege of Rhodes.
The siege of Rhodes of 1522 was the second and ultimately successful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to expel the Knights of Rhodes from their island stronghold and thereby secure Ottoman control of the Eastern Mediterranean. The first siege in 1480 had been unsuccessful. Despite very strong defenses, the walls were demolished over the course of six months by Turkish artillery and mines.
26/06/1483
Richard III becomes King of England.
Richard III was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth Field marked the end of the Middle Ages in England.
26/06/1460
War of the Roses: Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, and Edward, Earl of March, land in England with a rebel army and march on London.
The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following centuries as the Civil Wars, and also the Cousins' War, were a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought for control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fought between supporters of the House of Lancaster and House of York, two rival cadet branches of the royal House of Plantagenet. The conflict resulted in the end of Lancaster's male line in 1471, leaving the Tudor family to inherit, through the female line, the Lancaster claim to the throne. Conflict was largely brought to an end upon the union of the two houses through marriage, creating the Tudor dynasty that would subsequently rule England.
26/06/1409
Western Schism: The Roman Catholic Church is led into a double schism as Petros Philargos is crowned Pope Alexander V after the Council of Pisa, joining Pope Gregory XII in Rome and Pope Benedict XIII in Avignon.
The Western Schism, also known as the Great Divide, the Great Occidental Schism, the Schism of 1378, or the Great Western Schism, was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 20 September 1378 to 11 November 1417, in which bishops residing in Rome and Avignon simultaneously claimed to be the true pope, and were eventually joined by a line of Pisan claimants in 1409. The event was driven by international rivalries, personalities and political allegiances, with the Avignon Papacy in particular being closely tied to the French monarchy.
26/06/1407
Ulrich von Jungingen becomes Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights.
Ulrich von Jungingen was the 26th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1407 to 1410. His policy of confrontation with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland would spark the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and lead to disaster for his Order, and his own death, at the Battle of Grunwald.
26/06/1295
Przemysł II crowned king of Poland, following Ducal period. The white eagle is added to the Polish coat of arms.
Przemysł II was the Duke of Poznań from 1257–1279, of Greater Poland from 1279 to 1296, of Kraków from 1290 to 1291, and Gdańsk Pomerania (Pomerelia) from 1294 to 1296, and then King of Poland from 1295 until his death. After a long period of Polish high dukes and two nominal kings, he was the first to obtain the hereditary title of king, and thus to return Poland to the rank of kingdom. A member of the Greater Poland branch of the House of Piast as the only son of Duke Przemysł I and the Silesian Princess Elisabeth, he was born posthumously; for this reason he was brought up at the court of his uncle Bolesław the Pious and received his own district to rule, the Duchy of Poznań in 1273. Six years later, after the death of his uncle, he also obtained the Duchy of Kalisz.
26/06/1243
Mongols defeat the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Köse Dağ.
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that culturally became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture.
26/06/0699
En no Ozuno, a Japanese mystic and apothecary who will later be regarded as the founder of a folk religion Shugendō, is banished to Izu Ōshima.
En no Ozunu/Ozuno/Otsuno was a Japanese ascetic and mystic, traditionally held to be the founder of Shugendō, the path of ascetic training practiced by the gyōja or yamabushi.
26/06/0684
Pope Benedict II is the last pope to require confirmation by the Byzantine emperor before taking office.
Pope Benedict II was the bishop of Rome from 26 June 684 to his death on 8 May 685. Pope Benedict II's feast day is 7 May.
26/06/0363
Roman emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sasanian Empire.
Julian was the Caesar of the West from 355 to 360 and Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek. His rejection of Christianity, and his promotion of Neoplatonic Hellenism caused him to be remembered as Julian the Apostate in the Christian tradition.
26/06/0221
Roman emperor Elagabalus adopts his cousin Alexander Severus as his heir and grants him the title of Caesar.
The Roman emperor was the ruler and monarchical head of state of the Roman Empire, starting with the granting of the title augustus to Octavian in 27 BC. The title of imperator, originally a military honorific, was usually used alongside caesar, originally a cognomen. When a given Roman is described as becoming emperor in English, it generally reflects his accession as augustus, and later as basileus. Early emperors also used the title princeps alongside other Republican titles, notably consul and pontifex maximus.
26/06/0004
Augustus adopts Tiberius.
The 0s began on January 1, AD 1 and ended on December 31, AD 9, covering the first nine years of the Common Era.