On This Day in History: April 26
Today is Saturday, April 26, the 116th day of 2025. There are 249 days left in the year.
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Today in history:
On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the worst nuclear disaster in history at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The explosion and fire released radioactive fallout into the atmosphere, resulting in immediate deaths and long-term radiation poisoning that affected thousands.
Other significant events on this date:
- In 1607, English colonists landed at Cape Henry, Virginia, marking the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in the Western Hemisphere.
- In 1865, John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, was surrounded and killed by federal troops near Port Royal, Virginia.
- In 1913, the tragic murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan at a Georgia pencil factory led to the conviction and sentencing of factory superintendent Leo Frank.
- In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania.
- In 1977, Studio 54, the iconic nightclub, opened its doors in New York.
- In 1994, South Africa held its first all-race elections, leading to the victory of the African National Congress and the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as president.
- In 2000, Vermont became the first state to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions.
- In 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity by an international court.
- In 2018, comedian Bill Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting a woman at his Pennsylvania mansion.
Notable Birthdays on April 26:
- Carol Burnett, Actor-comedian (92)
- Giorgio Moroder, Composer-producer (85)
- Donna de Varona, Olympic swimming gold medalist (78)
- Giancarlo Esposito, Actor (67)
- Joan Chen, Actor (64)
- Jet Li, Actor (62)
- Kevin James, Actor-comedian (60)
- Natasha Trethewey, Former U.S. Poet Laureate (59)
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Actor (58)
- Melania Trump, First Lady (55)
- Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Singer (55)
- Jay DeMarcus, Country musician (54)
- Tom Welling, Actor (48)
- Pablo Schreiber, Actor (47)
- Jordana Brewster, Actor (45)
- Channing Tatum, Actor (45)
- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees outfielder (33)
