February 26

Discover what happened on February 26 in history, along with notable celebrity birthdays and fun Days of the Year to celebrate.

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1836 – William Austin Burt received a patent for his solar compass. Using his product, he and his crew surveyed much of the state of Michigan.

1863 – President Abraham Lincoln signed the National Currency Act.

1870 – In New York, NY, the first pneumatic-powered subway line opened to the public.

1906 – The nation’s first Shrine Circus was held in Detroit, MI.

1907 – Congress raised their own pay to $7,500 per year.

1917 – The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded the first jazz record for the Victory Talking Machine Company in New York, NY.

1919 – President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of Congress establishing the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

1929 – President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill creating the 96,000 acre Grand Teton National Park in the state of Wyoming.

1930 – The city of New York, NY, installed traffic lights.

1933 – A ground-breaking ceremony was held at Crissy Field for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA.

1935 – The New York Yankees released Babe Ruth from his contract.

1945 – A nationwide midnight curfew went into effect.

1954 – Michigan Congresswoman Ruth Thompson introduced a bill to prohibit the distribution of obscene, lewd, or lascivious (rock ‘n roll) recordings.

1955 – Billboard reported that the 45 rpm single was outselling 78 rpm records for the first time.

1964 – The day after defeating Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight crown, Cassius Clay (who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali) announced that he had joined the Nation of Islam and wished to be known as Cassius X.

1966 – Launch of AS-201, the first flight of the Saturn IB rocket.

1979 – The television show “Flatbush” debuted on CBS.

1987 – Capitol Records released the first 4 Beatles albums on CD.

1993 – Six people were killed and more than a thousand injured when a van exploded in the parking garage beneath the World Trade Center in New York, NY. The bomb had been built by Islamic extremists.

1998 – A Texas jury rejected an $11 million lawsuit by Texas cattlemen who blamed Oprah Winfrey for a drop in the price of beef after an on-air comment about mad-cow disease.

2008 – Walmart remained the number one music seller in the United States. However, Apple announced that the iTunes Store had surpassed Best Buy to become the second largest music seller.

2009 – Grand Rapids, MI radio personality Rick Beckett had a heart attack and passed away. He had been working at WOOD Radio with Scott Winters on “The Rick and Scott Show”. Previously he had worked at WGRD, WKLQ and WZZR (now WLHT).

2009 – The Pentagon reversed its 18-year policy of not allowing media to cover returning war dead. The reversal allowed some media coverage with family approval.

2012 – Inside a gated community in Sanford, FL, neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot and killed an unarmed 17 year old, Trayvon Martin, who was staying with family. Zimmerman was interviewed by police and released without any charges being filed.

BIRTHDAYS:

Wallace Fard Muhammad – 133 years old (1893) – Religious leader, founded the Nation of Islam (disappeared 1934)

Chuck Wepner – 87 years old (1939) – Boxer

Bill Duke – 83 years old (1943) – Actor and director

Ronald Lauder – 82 years old (1944) – Businessman and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Austria

Marta Kristen – 81 years old (1945) – Norwegian-American actress

Mitch Ryder – 81 years old (1945) – Singer-songwriter

Sharyn McCrumb – 78 years old (1948) – Author

Elizabeth George – 77 years old (1949) – Author and educator

Jonathan Cain – 76 years old (1950) – Singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer

Michael Bolton – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter and actor

Barbara Niven – 73 years old (1953) – Actress and writer

David Beasley – 69 years old (1957) – Lawyer and politician, 113th Governor of South Carolina

Joe Mullen – 69 years old (1957) – Ice hockey player and coach

John Jude Palencar – 69 years old (1957) – Artist and illustrator

Keena Rothhammer – 69 years old (1957) – Swimmer

Greg Germann – 68 years old (1958) – Actor and director

Susan Helms – 68 years old (1958) – General, engineer, and astronaut

Tim Kaine – 68 years old (1958) – Lawyer and politician, 70th Governor of Virginia

Rolando Blackman – 67 years old (1959) – Panamanian-American basketball player

Chase Masterson – 63 years old (1963) – Actress, singer, and activist

Mark Dacascos – 62 years old (1964) – Actor, martial artist, and television personality

James Mitchell – 61 years old (1965) – Wrestler and manager

Jennifer Grant – 60 years old (1966) – Actress

Tim Commerford – 58 years old (1968) – Bass player

Erykah Badu – 55 years old (1971) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Max Martin – 55 years old (1971) – Swedish-American record producer and songwriter

Maz Jobrani – 54 years old (1972) – Comedian and actor

Marshall Faulk – 53 years old (1973) – Football player

Jenny Thompson – 53 years old (1973) – Swimmer

Bonnie Somerville – 52 years old (1974) – Actress

Chad Urmston – 50 years old (1976) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Marty Reasoner – 49 years old (1977) – Ice hockey player and coach

Greg Rikaart – 49 years old (1977) – Actor

Tim Thomas – 49 years old (1977) – Basketball player

Steve Blake – 46 years old (1980) – Basketball player

Kertus Davis – 45 years old (1981) – Race car driver

Robert Mathis – 45 years old (1981) – Football player

Sharon Van Etten – 45 years old (1981) – Singer-songwriter, musician and actress

Nate Ruess – 44 years old (1982) – Singer-songwriter

Jerome Harrison – 43 years old (1983) – Football player

Hannah Kearney – 40 years old (1986) – Skier

Kevin Plawecki – 35 years old (1991) – Baseball player

Morgan Gautrat – 33 years old (1993) – Soccer player

Jacob Trouba – 32 years old (1994) – Ice hockey player

Jessie Bates – 29 years old (1997) – Football player

Yeat – 26 years old (2000) – Rapper

TODAY IS:

• National Tell A Fairy Tale Day: Once upon a time, magical stories of princesses, knights, and talking animals filled our hearts with wonder and imagination.
• Letter to an Elder Day:
• National Carpe Diem Day: Embracing every opportunity, living life to the fullest, and making the most of each moment with a spirit of adventure.
• Levi Strauss Day: In the hustle of Gold Rush, this sharp-minded innovator stitched together a sturdy solution for prospectors' fashion woes, forever altering attire.
• National Chili Day: A hearty meal full of beans and savory meat, topped off with sour cream, cheese, and diced onions — warm, spicy comfort.
• National Pistachio Day: A nutritional powerhouse, these little green treats can improve your heart health and reduce inflammation.
• Carnival Day:
• International Tongue Twister Contest Day:
• For Pete’s Sake Day: When you need to express mild frustration or surprise, this playful phrase adds a dash of whimsy to your conversations. It's catchy and guaranteed to make you smile!
• National Toast Day: A crispy slice of goodness, lightly toasted to perfection. Topped with a delicious spread, it's a perfect start to the day!
• National Set a Good Example Day:
• Make Mine Chocolate:
• Future Farmers of America Week:
• National Eating Disorder Awareness Week:
• Bird Health Awareness Week:
• National Engineers Week: With a mind full of creativity and a tool kit full of gadgets — from bridges to phones — engineers are the ultimate problem solvers!
• National Green Week:
• Ramadan: During this holy month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, focusing on spiritual reflection and community. Ramadan is a time for self-improvement and bringing people together in celebration of faith.

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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.