The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right nationwide
MajorIn the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court ruled 5-4 that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the Due Proces...
June 26 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2015
2000
Scientists announced the completion of the first working draft of the human genome
MajorPresident Bill Clinton, alongside scientists from the public Human Genome Project and private company Celera Genomics, announced they had sequenced ro...
1997
The first Harry Potter book was published in the UK with an initial print run of only 500 copies
MajorBloomsbury released 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' with modest expectations, printing just 500 hardback copies, 300 of which went to libra...
1988
A woman in Texas was officially allowed to marry herself in a legally recognized self-marriage ceremony
Linda Baker of Houston held a formal ceremony where she pledged vows to herself, complete with a wedding dress, cake, and guests. She claimed she want...
1977
Elvis Presley performed his last concert ever in Indianapolis
The King of Rock and Roll gave his final performance at the Market Square Arena before a crowd of 18,000 fans. Witnesses reported he was visibly unwel...
1974
The universal product code (barcode) was scanned on a product for the first time in an Ohio supermarket
A pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum became the first item ever scanned using a UPC barcode at Marsh's supermarket in Troy, Ohio. The historic pack of...
1963
President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech at the Berlin Wall
MajorSpeaking to 450,000 West Berliners, Kennedy declared solidarity with the citizens living behind the Iron Curtain, famously stating 'Ich bin ein Berlin...
1959
The St. Lawrence Seaway officially opened, allowing ocean-going vessels to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes
Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight Eisenhower jointly dedicated this massive engineering project that created a 2,300-mile inland waterway. The p...
1945
The United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco by 50 nations
MajorRepresentatives from 50 countries gathered at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House to sign the founding document of the United Nations. The char...
1936
The world's first practical helicopter, the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, made its first flight in Germany
German pilot Ewald Rohlfs flew the Fw 61 inside a Berlin sports stadium, demonstrating unprecedented control and stability. Unlike previous attempts t...
1927
The Cyclone roller coaster opened at Coney Island and terrified its very first riders
On its inaugural ride, the legendary wooden coaster allegedly scared one passenger so badly that he couldn't speak—until the ride ended and he suddenl...
1906
The world's first Grand Prix motor race was held in Le Mans, France
Organized by the Automobile Club de France, this inaugural race covered a 64-mile circuit that competitors lapped 12 times over two days. Hungarian dr...
1870
The first section of Atlantic City's famous boardwalk opened as a temporary walkway to keep sand out of hotels
Railroad conductor Alexander Boardman convinced hotel owners to build a temporary wooden walkway along the beach to prevent guests from tracking sand...
1284
The legendary Pied Piper is said to have led 130 children out of Hamelin, Germany, never to be seen again
According to German folklore and some historical records, a mysterious piper dressed in colorful clothing appeared in the town of Hamelin and led away...