1543 – Agnolo Firenzuola, Italian poet and litterateur, dies at 49
1729 – Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, French harpsichordist, organist, singer, and composer (Les pièces de clavessin; Céphale et Procris), dies at 64
1785 – Egbert de Free Temminck, Amsterdam regent, dies at 84
1961 – Paul Guilfoyle, American actor and director (White Heat, Cyrano de Bergerac), dies of a heart attack at 58
1966 – Arthur D Waley [Schloss], British sinology/poet (Monkey), dies
2008 – Violet Cane, British pioneering female statistician, dies at 92
2011 – Gisèle Rabesahala, Malagasy politician (1st female minister) and human righter activist, dies at 82
2015 – Chris Squire, British progressive rock bassist, founding and longest serving member of Yes, 1969-2014 (“The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)”), dies of acute erythroid leukemia at 67
2017 – Suh Yun-bok, Korean marathon runner (Boston Marathon, 1947), dies at 94
2020 – Martha Nierenberg [née Weiss de Csepel], Hungarian-American biochemist, furniture designer and co-founder of Dansk Designs, dies at 96
Author: gil7
Historical Events for 27th June 2026
1580 – Duke of Alva’s army occupies Portugal
1890 – Canadian boxer George Dixon becomes the first Black world champion when he stops English bantamweight champion Edwin “Nunc” Wallace in 18 rounds in London
1898 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Charlotte Cooper beats Louisa Martin 6-4, 6-4 for her 3rd Wimbledon singles championship
1934 – Federal Savings and Loan Association created
1962 – NASA civilian pilot Joseph A. Walker takes X-15 to 6,606 kph, 37,700 m
1976 – In South Africa, the National President of the Black People’s Convention, Kenneth Hlaku Rachidi, declares that riots in Soweto have lead to a new era of political consciousness
1984 – Late Night’s 1st Tower Drop
2018 – Complex carbon-based molecules are found by the Cassini spacecraft on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, previously found only on Earth and in meteorites, in research published in Nature
Today in History for 27th June 2026
Historical Events
1914 – US signs treaty of commerce with Ethiopia
1999 – Tony Hawk is the first skateboarder to land a “900” (a 2½-revolution aerial spin) at the X Games in San Francisco, California
2003 – Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: Radiohead, Moby, and R.E.M. headline; other performers include David Gray, The Polyphonic Spree; Jimmy Cliff, Sigur Rós, Los Lobos, and Yes
2018 – Democrat Representative Joseph Crowley is defeated in New York Primary election by liberal challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
2023 – Archaeologists in Roman city of Pompeii uncover a “pizza” painting in a fresco from house next to a bakery (more likely flatbread as lacks essential ingredients tomatoes and mozzarella)
Famous Birthdays
1884 – Gaston Bachelard, French philosopher (La psychanalyse du feu), born in Bar-sur-Aube, France (d. 1962)
1889 – Alfred Courtens, Belgian sculptor, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1967)
1905 – Ruby Middleton Forsythe, African-American teacher who taught for 50 years in one-room schoolhouse in South Carolina, born in Charleston, South Carolina (d. 1992)
1959 – Dan Jurgens, American comic book writer (The Death of Superman), born in Ortonville, Minnesota
1966 – J. J. Abrams, American writer, producer and director (Lost; Star Wars: the Force Awakens; Mission Impossible III), born in New York City
Famous Deaths
1917 – Karl Allmenröder, German World War I flying Ace, dies at 21
2010 – Dolph Briscoe, American businessman and 41st Governor of Texas (1973-79), dies at 87
2011 – Elaine Stewart, American actress and model (The Bad and the Beautiful, Take the High Ground), dies at 81
2016 – Alvin Toffler, American author (Future Shock, Power Shift, The Third Wave), dies at 87
2025 – Audrey Shakir, American jazz vocalist (Jazz at the Lincoln Center Big Band), dies at 73
Famous Deaths for 26th June 2026
1810 – Joseph Michel Montgolfier, French inventor (b. 1740)
1827 – Christian A Vulpius, German writer (Ornaldo Ornaldini), dies
1836 – Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French author and composer (Marseillaise), dies at 76
1964 – Léo Dandurand, American-Canadian hockey executive, dies at 74
1967 – Françoise Dorléac, French actress, sister of Catherine Deneuve dies in a car accident at 25
1982 – Sandy Powell, English comedian, dies at 82
1997 – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, Native Hawaiian singer, songwriter (“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World”), and Hawaiian sovereignty advocate, dies from respiratory failure at 38
2001 – William Bryant, American character actor (King Dinosaur, Hell Squad), dies of cancer at 77
2020 – Milton Glaser, American graphic designer (founder of New York Magazine; creator of “I ♥ NY” logo), dies at 91
2020 – William Negri, Italian soccer goalkeeper (12 caps; Mantova, Bologna), dies at 84
Historical Events for 26th June 2026
1243 – Battle of Köse Dağ: Mongols under Baiju defeat Seljuk army of Sultan Kaykhusraw II during Mongol attacks in north east Turkey
1927 – Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke approaches within 0.0394 AUs of Earth
1934 – US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the National Firearms Act into law, requiring registration and imposition of excise tax on firearms including machine guns. short-barreled shotguns and rifles, and silencers; exceptions made for pistol, revolvers, and long guns
1937 – Test cricket debut of all-time great English batsman Len Hutton v New Zealand in 1st Tests at Lord’s; scores 0 and 1
1972 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) kill two British Army soldiers in separate attacks during the day and at midnight begins a “bi-lateral truce”
1974 – The Universal Product Code (UPC) is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley’s chewing gum at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio
1992 – NYC’s MTA votes to ban cigarette ads on Jan 1, 1993
2015 – Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras calls for a referendum on new bailout terms during the Greek Credit Crisis
Today in History for 26th June 2026
Historical Events
1929 – ENKA/Vereinigte Glanzstoff Factory merge AKU (Genl Kunstzijde Union)
1946 – Fred Allen’s last radio show, his guest is Jack Benny
1994 – 107°F (41.6°C) at Albuquerque, New Mexico
2019 – Two US Florida towns pay hackers considerable ransom to unfreeze their computer systems; Riviera Beach $600,00 and Lake City $500,000
2024 – Outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte is appointed as the next NATO Secretary General
Famous Birthdays
1873 – George Walker, American vaudevillian, stage actor, and producer, born in Lawrence, Kansas (d. 1911)
1888 – Paul Niggli, Swiss mineralogist (crystal structures), born in Zonfingen, Switzerland (d. 1953)
1929 – Francesco Cossiga, Italian politician and 8th President of the Italian Republic (1985-92), born in Sassari, Kingdom of Italy (d. 2010)
1945 – Dwight York, Nuwaubian leader (Nuwaubian Nation), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1971 – Carlton Gray, American NFL cornerback (Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Famous Deaths
1960 – Henrik Shipstead, American Senator (1923-1947), who opposed foreign intervention, dies at 79
1994 – Bob den Doolaard, Dutch author and journalist (Inn with the horseshoe), dies at 93
1997 – William Turnbull Jr., American architect who helped design the Sea Ranch, dies of cancer at 62
2000 – Logan Ramsey, American actor (Head, Joy Sticks, Say Yes), dies of a heart attack at 79
2020 – Theo Foley, Irish soccer defender (9 caps, Republic of Ireland; Burnley, Charlton Athletic) and manager (Northampton Town), dies at 83
Famous Deaths for 25th June 2026
1634 – John Marston, English poet and playwright known for “The Malcontent”, dies at 57
1671 – Giovanni Riccioli, Italian astronomer (Almagestum Novum), dies at 73
1673 – Charles de Batz-Castelmore, Comte d’Artagnan, Captain of the Musketeers under Louis XIV of France (b. 1611)
1822 – Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, German Romantic writer, judge and composer (Undine), dies at 46
1876 – John Patton, American trumpeter, dies at the Battle of the Little Bighorn at 24 or 25
1884 – Hans Rott, Austrian composer, dies at 25
1984 – Michel Foucault, French philosopher and historian (History of Sexuality), dies of AIDS at 57
1988 – Hillel Slovak, Israeli musician (Anthym/What Is This?, Red Hot Chili Peppers) (b. 1962)
2023 – John B. Goodenough, American materials scientist (lithium-ion battery), solid-state physicist and Nobel laureate in chemistry, dies at 100
2024 – Jewel Brown, American jazz and blues singer (Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars), dies of colon cancer at 86
Historical Events for 25th June 2026
1483 – The House of Lords and Commons declares King Edward V of England as illegitimate based on his parent’s alleged bigamous marriage
1788 – Virginia becomes 10th state to ratify US constitution
1950 – Israeli airline El Al begins transatlantic service form Israel to New York City’s Idlewild Airport
1962 – İnönü government forms in Turkey
1978 – First use of the rainbow flag, symbol of gay pride, made by Gilbert Baker at a march in San Francisco
1982 – Greece abolishes headshaving of recruits in the military
1984 – Lydia Garrett, 24, crowned 17th Miss Black America
2018 – Californian Governor Jerry Brown declares State of Emergency for wildfire spread over 8,200 acres in Lake County
Today in History for 25th June 2026
Historical Events
1912 – British Open Men’s Golf, Muirfield: Ted Ray wins wire-to-wire by 4 shots from defending champion Harry Vardon
1919 – Revolt of Spartacus in Hamburg
1934 – NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle beating White Sox 11-2
2018 – Californian Governor Jerry Brown declares State of Emergency for wildfire spread over 8,200 acres in Lake County
2023 – Greek voters re-elect Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy Party by a landslide
Famous Birthdays
1612 – John Albert Vasa, Polish bishop, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1634)
1863 – Émile Francqui, Belgian soldier and diplomat, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1935)
1942 – Joe Chambers, American jazz drummer, vibraphonist, and composer, born in Chester, Pennsylvania
1964 – Dell Curry, American basketball guard and broadcaster (NBA Sixth Man of The Year 1994; Charlotte Hornets all-time points leader [9,839]), born in Harrisonburg, Virginia
2004 – Mikhail Shaidorov, Kazakhstani figure skater (2026 Olympic Champion, World silver medalist, Four Continents champion), second Kazakhstani athlete to win gold at a Winter Olympics, born in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Famous Deaths
1514 – Berta Jacobsdr [Suster Bertken], Dutch hermit, dies at 87
1960 – Tommy Corcoran, American baseball shortstop (MLB shortstop game assist record 14), dies at 91
1978 – Barry Brown, American actor (Frederick Winterbourne-Daisy Miller), dies at 27
2009 – Michael Jackson, American recording artist, dancer and King of Pop (“Thriller”; “Billie Jean”; “Bad”), dies of cardiac arrest at 50
2022 – Bill Woolsey, American swimmer (Olympic gold men’s 4×200m freestyle relay 1952, silver 1956), dies at 87
Famous Deaths for 24th June 2026
1707 – Kaspar von Stieler, German poet (Teutsche Wolredner), dies at 74
1798 – Archduchess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands, dies at 56
1817 – Thomas McKean, American attorney and politician (signed US Declaration of Independence), dies at 83
1846 – Jan Frans Willems, Flemish writer and philologist, dies at 53
1882 – Joseph Joachim Raff, German opera composer (Cavatine), dies at 60
1970 – Man Singh II, Maharajah of Jaipur State, dies at 57
1973 – Mary Carr, American actress (Forbidden Trail, 2nd Wife), dies at 99
1995 – Inshan Ali, West Indian cricketer (WI chinaman bowler 1971-77), dies at 45
1999 – Jim Allen, British socialist, screenwriter and playwright (Days of Hope, Perdition), dies at 72
2008 – Viktor Kuzkin, Soviet ice hockey player (Olympic gold 1964, 68, 72), dies at 67