1537
Science
Royal Announcement of Pregnancy with the Heir
An official royal letter announced Queen Jane Seymour was pregnant, raising hopes across England for the long-desired male heir.
View detailsThis Day
26January
33 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1831
Literature
Mary Mapes Dodge's Birth
Mary Mapes Dodge was born on January 26, 1831, in New York City.
View details1871
Science
Death of Jeanne Villepreux-Power
Died in Juillac, France, on 26 January 1871, having pioneered aquarium-based marine biology and invented the aquarium.
View details1879
Arts
Death of Julia Margaret Cameron
Julia Margaret Cameron died at Kalutara, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), on 26 January 1879, reportedly with the word 'Beautiful' on her lips.
View details1892
Science
Birth in Atlanta, Texas
Elizabeth 'Bessie' Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, the tenth of thirteen children in a sharecropping family of African American and Cherokee descent.
View details1914
1920
Arts
Death of Jeanne Hébuterne
Jeanne Hébuterne died on January 26, 1920, in Paris, France.
View details1922
Science
Publishes debut novel Open the Door!
Carswell's autobiographical debut novel Open the Door! was published in 1922, winning the Melrose Prize and establishing her literary reputation.
View details1926
Arts
Release of Torrent
Torrent, Garbo's first American film, was released on January 26, 1926.
View details1926
Science
Founded the National Council of American Indians
Zitkala-Ša founded the National Council of American Indians to advocate for Native citizenship, civil rights, and self-determination.
View details1933
1938
Arts
Awarded the Archibald Prize, first woman to win
Nora Heysen became the first woman to win Australia's prestigious Archibald Prize for portraiture, with her portrait of Elink Bull.
View details1938
Science
Death of Zitkala-Ša in Washington, D.C.
Zitkala-Ša died in Washington, D.C., having spent her final decades advocating for Native American rights and citizenship.
View details1944
Science
Born in Birmingham, Alabama
Angela Yvonne Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in a neighborhood so frequently bombed by white supremacists it was nicknamed 'Dynamite Hill.'
View details1951
Activism
First woman spiritual leader of a mainstream American Jewish/Reform congregation
By assuming spiritual leadership on January 26, 1951, Paula Ackerman broke gender barriers in Jewish leadership.
View details1951
Activism
Formally installed as spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel
On January 26, 1951, Paula Ackerman became the spiritual leader of Reform congregation Temple Beth Israel.
View details1953
Politics
Elected as MP for North Down
Patricia Ford became the first woman Ulster Unionist MP on January 26, 1953.
View details1958
1970
1974
Science
"Keep on Singing" enters the Billboard Hot 100
Reddy's single "Keep on Singing" entered the Hot 100 chart, later also topping the Adult Contemporary chart.
View details1990
Science
Named Young Australian of the Year
Freeman named Young Australian of the Year, later becoming the only person to hold both Young Australian and Australian of the Year titles.
View details1993
Politics
Death of Jeanne Sauvé
Jeanne Sauvé passed away on January 26, 1993, in Montreal, Quebec.
View details1998
Science
Named Australian of the Year
Freeman named Australian of the Year, the only person to hold both Young Australian of the Year and Australian of the Year titles.
View details2005
Science
Sworn in as First African-American Woman Secretary of State
Rice is sworn in as U.S. Secretary of State, the first African-American woman to lead the Department of State.
View details2005
Science
Senate Confirms Rice as First African-American Woman Secretary of State
The U.S. Senate confirms Rice as the 66th Secretary of State, 85-13, making her the first African-American woman to hold the post.
View details2009
Medicine
Birth of the first surviving octuplets
Nadya Suleman gives birth in Bellflower, California, to eight IVF-conceived babies, the Suleman octuplets, recognized as the first surviving octuplets and a Guinness World Record.
View details2011
Exploration
Named Young Australian of the Year
Watson was named Young Australian of the Year in recognition of her solo circumnavigation and role as a youth role model.
View details2012
Exploration
Completion of Atlantic Ocean rowing expedition
Completed her Atlantic Ocean row, arriving in Barbados after 57 days.
View details2012
Exploration
Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Watson received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours for services to sailing and youth.
View details2016
Science
Public Recognition of Inventor-Entrepreneur Status
Media coverage identified Jessica O. Matthews as the inventor of the Soccket and founder of a company devoted to infrastructure technology.
View details2021
Politics
First person to lead all three top U.S. economic policy institutions
Sworn in as U.S. Treasury Secretary, Yellen became the first woman in the role and first person ever to lead Treasury, the Fed, and the CEA.
View details2021
Sports
First Black woman full-time NFL assistant coach
Washington promoted Jennifer King to assistant running backs coach, making her the first Black woman in a full-time assistant coaching role in NFL history.
View details2024
Medicine
15th birthday of the surviving Suleman octuplets
The Suleman octuplets turn 15, prompting media retrospectives on their unique survival record and Nadya Suleman’s ongoing role in debates over high-order IVF pregnancies.
View details