April 26

April 26: This Day in History

• 1865— John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, was shot and killed by Union soldier Sergeant Boston Corbett in a Virginia barn.
• 1937— Nazi German and Fascist Italian warplanes bombed the Basque town of Guernica in Spain, inspiring Picasso's famous painting.
• 1977— Studio 54 opened in New York City, becoming the most famous nightclub of the disco era.
• 1986— The Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded, causing the worst nuclear accident in history.
• 1989— The Hillsborough disaster inquiry began in Sheffield, investigating the deaths of 96 Liverpool FC supporters.

Famous Birthdays on April 26

• Marcus Aurelius (121) — roman emperor and stoic philosopher
• John James Audubon (1785) — american naturalist and painter known for birds of america
• I.M. Pei (1917) — chinese-american architect who designed the louvre pyramid
• Carol Burnett (1933) — american comedian and actress known for the carol burnett show
• Bobby Rydell (1942) — american singer popular in the early rock and roll era
• Channing Tatum (1980) — american actor known for magic mike and 21 jump street

What Happens on April 26?

Did You Know? April 26 Fun Facts

• Picasso's painting 'Guernica,' inspired by the 1937 bombing, is now considered one of the most powerful anti-war artworks ever created.
• The Chernobyl exclusion zone around the reactor remains uninhabitable and is now a major tourist destination.

Count Down to Events on April 26

• How many days until F1 Japanese Grand Prix?
• How many days until New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival?