What Happened On
Lake Emissions Kill 1,746 Villagers
August 26, 1986
Lake Nyos suddenly releases a 100,000-300,000 tons of carbon dioxide, suffocating people and animals within 16 miles (25 kilometers) of the lake, killing 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock. A pocket of magma lies beneath the lake and leaks carbon dioxide into the water. The water can become supersaturated with carbon dioxide and an event such as an earthquake or landslide can cause it to be released. Scientists are not sure what triggered this event.
Nyos is a crater lake on the edge of an inactive volcano in Northwest Region of Cameroon. Nyos is one of only three known carbon dioxide exploding lakes.
The 1968 National Democratic Convention
August 26, 1968
The 1968 National Democratic Convention begins in Chicago. Thousands came to protest the Vietnam War and the Democratic administration, resulting in massive demonstrations and police-civilian conflicts.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (left) and Susan B. Anthony and Women's suffrage postcard
Women's Right to Vote
August 26, 1920
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting American women the right to vote is enacted.
Morrison in Dogs of War
Morrison in Dogs of War
First Black Signed to a Long-Term Hollywood Contract
August 26, 1919
Ernie Morrison (age 7) signs a two-year contract with Hal Roach. He went on to star as Sunshine Sammy and Booker T. in the Our Gang films.
Army's Top Civilian Official Caught Shoplifting
August 26, 1993
The Acting Army Secretary John Shannon is caught stealing a woman's blouse and skirt worth about $30 from an Army PX. He admitted guilt and went on administrative leave, never resuming his position.
Photo Credit: Sentinelle del mattino International
Photo Credit: Sentinelle del mattino International
Pope John Paul I
August 26, 1978
Albino Luciani is elected pope, choosing the papal name John Paul I. He died 34 days later (Sept. 28).
First Black to Pitch in a Major League Baseball Game
August 26, 1947
Dan Bankhead for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
First Televised Major League Baseball Game
August 26, 1939
A doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers is shown by NBC's W2XBS of New York City.
Steamboat
August 26, 1791
John Fitch is awarded the U.S. patent for the steamboat. He was also awarded the French patent later that year.
Birthdays
Naomi operating lathe (left) and the "We Can Do It!" poster
Naomi operating lathe (left) and the "We Can Do It!" poster
We Can Do It!
Naomi Parker Fraley
Born August 26, 1921 d. 2018
American war worker. She is believed to be the model for the iconic 1943 "We Can Do It!" poster. Artist J. Howard Miller was inspired by a photo of her operating a lathe. This image later became known as "Rosie the Riveter".
The poster was created for Westinghouse Electric as an inspirational image to boost female worker morale and contrary to popular belief, it was never used as a World War II recruitment poster, but only internally at Westinghouse.
Photo Credit: Manfredo Ferrari
Photo Credit: Manfredo Ferrari
Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu)
Born August 26, 1910 d. 1997
Yugoslavian-born Nobel Peace Prize-winning missionary. Called "The Living Saint," she dedicated her life to the poor and sick of India.
Developed Oral Polio Vaccine
Albert Sabin
Born August 26, 1906 d. 1993
Russian-born American microbiologist. He developed the oral polio vaccine (OPV) in 1955, which was administered by sugar cube to millions. The previous polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk was administered by injection.
By 1961, Salk's OPV had been tested on at least 100 million people in the USSR, parts of Eastern Europe, Singapore, Mexico, and the Netherlands. Clinical trials of the OPV in the United States began in April 1960 on 180,000 Cincinnati school children. This effectively eradicated polio in Cincinnati.
Father of the Radio
Lee de Forest
Born August 26, 1873 d. 1961
American inventor, "Father of the Radio." He invented the triode (amplifier vacuum tube, 1907) and was a pioneer in the development of talking pictures and television.
Lavoisier (standing at table) conducting an experiment on respiration with his wife taking notes
Lavoisier (standing at table) conducting an experiment on respiration with his wife taking notes
Father of Modern Chemistry
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier
Born August 26, 1743 d. 1794
French chemist, "Father of Modern Chemistry." He identified air as containing two principal elements (1778), one of which he named "oxygen", established the law of conservation of matter (1782), named hydrogen (1783), and showed that respiration was essentially a slow combustion of organic material using inhaled oxygen. In 1793, the arrest of former tax farmers, including Lavoisier, was ordered. Lavoisier and the other Farmers General faced nine accusations of defrauding the state of money owed to it, and of adding water to tobacco before selling it. Lavoisier was convicted and guillotined in Paris along with his 27 co-defendants. A year and a half later, Lavoisier was exonerated by the French government.
First public demonstration
First public demonstration
Co-inventor of the Hot-Air Balloon
Joseph Michel Montgolfier
Born August 26, 1740 d. 1810
French inventor. He and his brother Jacques Montgolfier invented the hot-air balloon (1782). They made the first sustained flight of a hot-air balloon the following year.
Macaulay Culkin
Born August 26, 1980
American actor. Film: Home Alone.
Branford Marsalis
Born August 26, 1960
American band leader. Marsalis was bandleader for Jay Leno on The Tonight Show (1992-95).
Bob Cowsill
Born August 26, 1949
American singer, member of the singing family The Cowsills (They were the basis for TV's The Partridge Family). Music: The Rain, The Park & Other Things (1967, #2) and the title song for the musical Hair (1969, #2).
Geraldine Anne Ferraro
Born August 26, 1935 d. 2011
American politician. First female vice-presidential candidate for a major political party (1984, Democratic).
Jim Davis
Born August 26, 1909 d. 1981
American actor. TV: Dallas (Jock Ewing).
Christopher Isherwood
Born August 26, 1904 d. 1986
English-born American author. Writings: Goodbye Berlin (1939, a collection of short stories including Sally Bowles upon which the musical Cabaret was based).
Earl Derr Biggers
Born August 26, 1884 d. 1933
American author, created the Chinese detective Charlie Chan.
Discoverer of Spinal Anesthesia
James Leonard Corning
Born August 26, 1855 d. 1923
American neurologist. Discoverer of spinal anesthesia (1885). He did so with subcutaneous injections of cocaine near the spinal cord.
The word anesthesia is from the Greek for "without sensation".
Jack the Ripper's First Known Victim
Mary Ann Nichols
Born August 26, 1845 d. 1888
English crime victim. She is the first known victim of Jack the Ripper.
Johann Heinrich Lambert
Born August 26, 1728 d. 1777
German mathematician, physicist, astronomer, proved that the numbers e and pi are irrational, and for whom the unit of brightness "lambert" is named.
Deaths
Photo Credit: Iaksge
Photo Credit: Iaksge
Bob Barker
Died August 26, 2023 b. 1923
American TV personality. TV: Truth or Consequences (1956-74, host), Price Is Right (1972-2007, host), Miss USA Pageant (emcee), Miss Universe Pageant (emcee), and SpongeBob SquarePants (2015, voice of Bob Barnacle). Film: Happy Gilmore (1996, as himself).
Barker is 1/8 Sioux Indian and is an official member of the Sioux tribe, having spent most of his youth on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, South Dakota.
Charles Augustus Lindbergh
Died August 26, 1974 b. 1902
American aviator, "Lucky Lindy." He made the first solo transatlantic flight (1927).
Lon Chaney, Sr.
Died August 26, 1930 b. 1883
American horror actor, "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Film: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923, title role) and Phantom of the Opera (1925, title role).
Discovered Bacteria (Animalcules)
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
Died August 26, 1723 b. 1632
Dutch biologist, Father of Microscopy. Using a single lens microscope of his own design, he became the first person to see microorganisms in detail (1683). He wrote a letter to Britain's Royal Society describing the "animalcules" he observed under his microscope, creating the first known description of bacteria.
Gerald Paul Carr
Died August 26, 2020 b. 1932
American astronaut. Commander of the third manned Skylab mission (1973).
Neil Simon (Marvin Neil Simon)
Died August 26, 2018 b. 1927
American playwright. Film: Barefoot in the Park (1967), The Odd Couple (1968), and The Sunshine Boys (1975). Stage: Come Blow Your Horn (1961), Barefoot in the Park (1963), and The Odd Couple (1965).
He has received more combined Oscar and Tony Award nominations than any other writer.
Laura Branigan
Died August 26, 2004 b. 1952
American singer. Music: Gloria (1982, #2). She died of a brain aneurism, which also killed her father and paternal grandfather.
Evelyn Wood
Died August 26, 1995 b. 1909
American speed-reading instructor. She was capable of reading 2,700 words a minute.
Roy Raymond
Died August 26, 1993 b. 1947
American businessman. He founded the Victoria's Secret lingerie chain (1977). He committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Irving Stone
Died August 26, 1989 b. 1903
American author, The Agony and the Ecstasy (1961).
Ted Knight as Ted Baxter
Ted Knight as Ted Baxter
Ted Knight (Tadeusz Wladyslaw Konopka)
Died August 26, 1986 b. 1923
American actor. TV: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77, Ted Baxter), Too Close for Comfort (1980-87, Henry Rush), and as narrator of many of Filmation's superhero cartoons. Film: Caddyshack (1980, Judge Elihu Smails).
Knight dropped out of high school to enlist in the U.S. Army in World War II, earning five battle stars while serving in the European Theatre.
He died of colon cancer, which he had been battling since his diagnosis in 1977.
Come with me to the Casbah
Charles Boyer
Died August 26, 1978 b. 1899
French-born American actor. Film: Algiers (1938, in which his famous invitation to Hedy Lamarr, "Come with me to the Casbah" was used for the trailers - although it was not in the film itself). The cartoon skunk Pepé Le Pew was based on his Pepe le Moko character in Algiers. He also co-founded Four-Star Television (1951).
Warner Anderson
Died August 26, 1976 b. 1911
American actor. TV: The Lineup (1954-60, Det. Lt. Ben Guthrie).
First Major League Umpire to Wear Glasses
Eddie Rommel (Edwin Americus Rommel)
Died August 26, 1970 b. 1897
American baseball pitcher, umpire. He was the first major-league umpire to wear glasses in a regular season game (1956, American League).
Andrew William Mellon
Died August 26, 1937 b. 1855
American financier. He donated his art collection for the establishment of the National Gallery of Art.