Historical events on August 26

AUGUST 26, 1970
Betty Friedan and the National Organization for Women organized the Women's Strike for Equality in New York City, in which 50,000 women protested the continuing lack of gender equality.
Betty Friedan was an American feminist writer and activist. A leading figure in the women's movement in the United States, her 1963 Read More
AUGUST 26, 1940
The 1940 New England hurricane formed over the Atlantic Ocean; it would go on to cause widespread damage despite never making landfall in the United States.
The 1940 New England hurricane moved off of the U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada in August and September 1940, producing strong winds Read More
AUGUST 26, 2015
Two American journalists were murdered on live television while conducting an interview in Moneta, Virginia.
On the morning of August 26, 2015, news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward, both employees of CBS affiliate WDBJ in Read More
AUGUST 26, 1914
World War I: As the British Expeditionary Force and French Fifth Army began their retreat from Mons, the British II Corps delayed the pursuing Germans at the Battle of Le Cateau long enough for the main force to escape.
World War I or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Read More
AUGUST 26, 1968
The U.S. Democratic Party's National Convention opened in Chicago, sparking four days of clashes (pictured) between anti-Vietnam War protesters and police.
The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. It was founded in 1828, making it Read More
AUGUST 26, 1928
At a cafe in Paisley, Scotland, a woman found the remains of a snail in her bottle of ginger beer, giving rise to the landmark civil action case Donoghue v Stevenson.
Paisley is a large town situated in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Located north of the Gleniffer Braes, the town borders Read More
AUGUST 26, 1959
The Coatzacoalcos earthquake struck near the Mexican state of Veracruz, killing 25 people.
The 1959 Coatzacoalcos earthquake occurred at 02:25 local time on August 26 near the Mexican state of Veracruz. The earthquake measured 6.4 Read More
AUGUST 26, 1914
First World War: The German colony of Togoland surrendered to French and British forces after a 20-day campaign.
World War I or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Read More
AUGUST 26, 1748
The first Lutheran denomination in North America, the Pennsylvania Ministerium, was founded in Philadelphia.
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose Read More
AUGUST 26, 1978
Aboard the Soviet Soyuz 31 spacecraft, Sigmund Jähn (pictured) became the first German in space.
Soyuz 31 was a 1978 Soviet crewed space flight to the Salyut 6 space station. It was the seventh mission to and Read More
AUGUST 26, 1789
French Revolution: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (pictured), defining a set of individual and collective rights of the people, was approved by the National Constituent Assembly.
The French Revolution was a period of political and societal change in France which began with the Estates General of 1789 and Read More
AUGUST 26, 683
Second Fitna: The Battle of al-Harra was fought between Umayyad forces and the rebel defenders of Medina at a lava field northeast of the city.
The Second Fitna was a period of general political and military disorder and civil war in the Islamic community during the early Read More
AUGUST 26, 1968
The Beatles released "Hey Jude", which became the then-longest single to top the UK charts.
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul Read More
AUGUST 26, 2008
After a ceasefire was reached in the Russo-Georgian War, Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The August 2008 Russo-Georgian War, also known as the Russian invasion of Georgia, was a war waged against Georgia by the Russian Read More
AUGUST 26, 1071
Byzantine–Seljuk wars: Seljuk Turks led by Alp Arslan captured Byzantine emperor Romanos IV at the Battle of Manzikert.
The Byzantine–Seljuk wars were a series of conflicts in the Middle Ages between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Sultanate. They shifted Read More
AUGUST 26, 1346
Hundred Years' War: English forces established the military supremacy of the English longbow over the French combination of crossbow and armoured knights at the Battle of Crécy (depicted).
The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between the kingdoms of England and France and a civil war in France during the Read More
AUGUST 26, 1980
A bomb was planted at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, which the FBI later described as the most complex improvised explosive device ever created.
The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, 1980, when several men masquerading as photocopier deliverers planted an elaborately booby Read More

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