What Happened on February 26 in History?
February 26 has seen major historical shifts, from Napoleon's daring escape to the establishment of the Grand Canyon National Park and the first World Trade Center bombing.
🏛️ Politics & World Affairs
1815 — Napoleon Bonaparte Escapes: Napoleon escaped from exile on the island of Elba with about 1,000 soldiers, beginning his "Hundred Days" bid to regain power in France.
1935 — Nazi Luftwaffe Formed: Adolf Hitler secretly authorized the creation of the Luftwaffe (German air force), openly violating the Treaty of Versailles.
1936 — February 26 Incident: Young officers in the Japanese military attempted a violent coup in Tokyo, assassinating several high-ranking political leaders.
1951 — 22nd Amendment Ratified: The U.S. Constitution was amended to officially limit presidents to two terms.
1991 — Gulf War Victories: Kuwaiti resistance leaders declared control of their capital as Iraqi forces were effectively expelled.
1993 — World Trade Center Bombing: A truck bomb exploded in the parking garage of the North Tower in New York City, killing six people and injuring over 1,000.
🔬 Science & Innovation
1919 — Grand Canyon National Park: President Woodrow Wilson signed the act officially establishing the park, preserving one of the world's most iconic natural wonders.
1935 — RADAR Demonstrated: Scottish physicist Robert Watson-Watt successfully demonstrated the first practical radio detection and ranging (radar) technology.
1974 — Nike "Waffle" Patent: Nike received a patent for its waffle-soled running shoes, famously invented by Bill Bowerman using a kitchen waffle iron.
1991 — First Web Browser: Tim Berners-Lee presented "WorldWideWeb", the world's first web browser, to the public.
2008 — Global Seed Vault: The "Doomsday" Global Seed Vault officially opened in Svalbard, Norway, to protect the world's plant diversity.
🎭 Culture & Society
1917 — First Jazz Recording: The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded "Livery Stable Blues", widely considered the first commercial jazz record.
1983 — "Thriller" Hits No. 1: Michael Jackson’s Thriller reached the top of the Billboard 200, where it would remain for a record-breaking 37 weeks.
2012 — Trayvon Martin Shooting: 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Florida, sparking a national conversation on racial profiling and the "Stand Your Ground" law.
2017 — "La La Land" / "Moonlight" Gaffe: In a startling Oscars error, La La Land was mistakenly announced as Best Picture before the award was corrected to Moonlight.
🎂 Notable Birthdays
1802: Victor Hugo, legendary French author of Les Misérables.
1829: Levi Strauss, German-born founder of the iconic denim brand.
1846: Buffalo Bill Cody, famous American Old West showman.
1932: Johnny Cash, the "Man in Black" and country music icon.
1971: Erykah Badu, influential neo-soul singer-songwriter.
