December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; five days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about December 26th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about December 26th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Candy Cane Day
- Boxing Day
- National Thank You Note Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – December 26
2004: Massive tsunami causes damage and kills thousands in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand
The tsunami was precipitated by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake was the third strongest earthquake ever measured using the Richter scale in recorded history. The other two were the Valdivia earthquake in Chile in 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5 and the Prince William Sound earthquake in Alaska in 1964, with a magnitude of 9.2. The Indian Ocean earthquake killed about 200,000 people and is considered one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
1982: The December issue of Times magazine proclaimed the personal computer as the “Man of the Year”
The Man of the Year tradition began in 1927 at Time magazine as a way to identify and showcase those that influenced the year and its events significantly. In 1999, the feature was renamed Person of the Year.
1966: First Kwanzaa celebrations
The week-long cultural holiday is celebrated among African diaspora in the United States and was created by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies and a key figure in the Black Power movement. The holiday is celebrated annually from December 26 to January 1, and it is a recognition of African culture and heritage.
1941: Fourth Thursday of November set as Thanksgiving Day in the US
The holiday has been celebrated officially in the United States since 1863. The first Thanksgiving is thought to have been observed by early settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony after their first harvest in 1621.
1898: The Curies announce the existence of Radium
The radioactive element has an atomic number of 88 and is known by the symbol Ra. In its pure form, it is a highly toxic element and is not used extensively for scientific purposes.
1910: A photo of Archibald Hoxsey shortly after achieving the altitude record, flying a biplane 11,474 feet on December 26 1910, taken five days before his death attempting to break the record again.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, December 26
1956: David Sedaris, American comedian, author, radio host
1893: Mao Zedong, Chinese military leader, politician
1891: Henry Miller, American author, painter
1837: George Dewey, American Admiral
1791: Charles Babbage, English mathematician, engineer, invented the Difference engine
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, December 26
2006: Gerald Ford, American politician, 38th President of the United States
1997: Cornelius Castoriadis, Greek economist, philosopher
1974: Jack Benny, American actor, comedian
1972: Harry S. Truman, American colonel, politician, 33rd President of the United States
1890: Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist
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