1602 ~ Philippe de Champaigne the French painter was born on the 26th May 1602 (died 1674).

1805 ~ Napoléon Bonaparte assumed the title of King of Italy on the 26th May 1805, and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in the Duomo di Milano, the gothic cathedral in Milan.

1864 ~ Montana was organized as a United States territory on the 26th May 1864.

1865 ~ Robert W. Chambers the American artist was born on the 26th May 1865 (died 1933).

1873 ~ Olaf Gulbransson the Norwegian artist was born on the 26th May 1873 (died 1958).

1886 ~ Al Jolson the American singer, comedian and actor was born on the 26th May 1886 (died 1950).

1895 ~ Dorothea Lange the American photographer was born on the 26th May 1895 (died 1965).

1896 ~ Nicholas II became Tsar of Russia on the 26th May 1896.

1896 ~ Charles Dow published the 1st edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on the 26th May 1896.

1897 ~ DRACULA  the novel by Irish author Bram Stoker was published on the 26th May 1897. See Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992 official movie trailer starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves and Tom Waits. This is director Francis Ford Coppola’s visually stunning, passionately seductive version of Bram Stoker’s classic legend.

1906 ~ Vauxhall Bridge was opened in London on the 26th May 1906.

1907 ~ John Wayne the American actor was born on the 26th May 1907 (died 1979).

1920 ~ Peggy Lee the American singer-songwriter and actress was born on the 26th May 1920 (died 2002).

1926 ~ Miles Davis the American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer from Miles Davis Quintet  was born on the 26th May 1926 (died 1991).

1940 ~ Levon Helm the American musician, songwriter, producer and actor was born on the 26th May 1940, best known as a member of The Band and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (died 2012).

1945 ~ Garry Peterson the Canadian drummer from The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive was born on the 26th May 1945.

1946 ~ Mick Ronson the English musician, songwriter and producer was born on the 26th May 1946, best known as a member of The Spiders from Mars and Mott the Hoople (d. 1993).

1948 ~ Stevie Nicks the American singer-songwriter and musician from Fleetwood Mac was born on the 26th May 1948.

1949 ~ Ward Cunningham the American computer programmer who developed the 1st wiki was born on the 26th May 1949.

1949 ~ Hank Williams Jr. the American singer-songwriter and musician was born on the 26th May 1949.

1951 ~ Sally Ride the American astronaut was born on the 26th May 1951 (died 2012).

1955 ~ Adam Curtis the English film maker was born Kevin Adam Curtis on the 26th May 1955. His best known work is The Century of the Self (2002), a film that examined how Freud‘s theories of the unconscious shaped the development of PR and advertising. He says, “My favourite theme is power and how it works in society”, with his works exploring areas of philosophy, sociology and political history. 

1962 ~ Bobcat Goldthwait the American actor was born on the 26th May 1962.

1964 ~ Lenny Kravitz the American singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and actor was born on the 26th May 1964.

1968 ~ Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark was born on the 26th May 1968.

1969 ~ Apollo 10 returned to Earth on the 26th May 1969, after a successful 8 day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned Moon landing.

1972 ~ Willandra National Park was established in Australia on the 26th May 1972.

1977 ~ George Willig climbed the South Tower of New York City‘s World Trade Center on the 26th May 1977.

1981 ~ Isaac Slade the American singer-songwriter and musician from The Fray was born on the 26th May 1981.

1987 ~ Josh Thomas the Australian comedian, actor, and writer was born on the 26th May 1987.

1991 ~ Julianna Rose Mauriello the American actress best known as Stephanie in LazyTown was born on the 26th May 1991. Facebook.com/pages/Julianna-Rose-Mauriello

1998 – The 1st National Sorry Day was held in Australia on the 26th May 1998, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people.

2005 ~ Eddie Albert the American actor died on the 26th May 2005 (born 1906).

2008 ~ Sydney Pollack the American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter died on the 26th May 2008 (born 1934).

2012 ~ Shaun Wilson-Miller the inspirational Australian teenage writer of An Awesome Ride book passed away at 1.40pm on the 26th May 2012. 17 year old Shaun Miller suffered from a chronic heart condition, and became very well known for his inspirational YouTube video: My Final Goodbye (see video below). The video went viral online, with over 3 million views, touching the hearts of many people around the World. Sadly, Shaun Miller passed away at 1.40pm on the 26th May 2012, from a terminal heart condition. An Awesome Ride by Shaun Miller is published by AKA Publishing & available at Booktopia. Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/groups/ShaunMillersFamilyandFriends & Tribute Facebook page: Shaun Wilson-Miller a Brave Young Man

Today in History for May 26th ~ video presented by the Associated Press…