Skip to content

October 26
in history

Bush signs the Patriot Act into law (2001), and House of Lords votes to end most hereditary peers' right to sit and vote (1999). Born on this day: Hillary Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton and François Mitterrand. Died: Park Chung-Hee, Gerty Cori and William Hogarth.

29 events, 69 births and 53 deaths on this date.

2001

Bush signs the Patriot Act into law

Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act, a law that widened the powers of American police and intelligence agencies after the September 11 attacks. Critics argued it weakened privacy and civil liberties, and the debate over it continued for years.

Eric Draper · Public domain

Events

  1. 1999

    House of Lords votes to end most hereditary peers' right to sit and vote

    Peers who inherited their seats lost their automatic place in the upper chamber, a reform that began to reshape who legislates in Britain. Only a limited number of hereditary peers were allowed to remain, and the change was a major step in modernising the Lords.

  2. 1341

    Byzantine army proclaims John VI Kantakouzenos emperor

    Rather than accept the succession, the army hailed Kantakouzenos, the chief minister, as emperor, a move that split the empire into rival camps. Supporters of John V Palaiologos, the rightful heir, fought back, starting a civil war that would drag on for years.

  3. 1937

    Nazi Germany begins expelling 18,000 Polish Jews

    Under the Nazi regime, which had held power since 1933, Polish Jews living in Germany were forced out of the country. About 18,000 were expelled, an early step toward the Holocaust.

  4. 1970

    Muhammad Ali returns to boxing after Vietnam draft refusal

    Ali came back to the ring after almost four years out, having lost his titles after refusing the draft. His return set him on the road to regaining the heavyweight crown, which he won back in 1974.

    Ira Rosenberg · Public domain
  5. 1520

    Charles V crowned Holy Roman Emperor

    Charles V had been elected emperor the year before, having inherited Habsburg lands and the Spanish crown. His realms ran from Germany and the Low Countries to Spain and the Americas, a spread that made him one of the most powerful rulers in Europe.

    Attributed to Titian · Public domain
  6. 1955

    Ngô Đình Diệm proclaims himself president of South Vietnam

    In the app
  7. 1985

    Australia returns Uluru to its Pitjantjatjara traditional owners

    In the app
  8. 1995

    Mossad agents kill Fathi Shaqaqi in Malta

    In the app

23 more events on October 26

For the full day, download Chunks today. Every date, the stories behind them, and a new day each morning. Free to start.

Born on October 26

66 more in the app
  • Hillary Clinton
    1947 · Politician

    Hillary Clinton

    American politician, lawyer and diplomat who served as secretary of state under Barack Obama and became the Democratic nominee in the 2016 presidential election. She was the first woman to carry a major party's presidential nomination in the United States.

    United States Department of State · Public domain
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton
    1947 · Politician

    Hillary Rodham Clinton

    American politician, lawyer and diplomat who served as secretary of state under Barack Obama and became the Democratic nominee in the 2016 presidential election. She was the first woman to take a major party's presidential nomination, and she won the popular vote while losing the Electoral College.

    United States Department of State · Public domain
  • François Mitterrand
    1916 – 1996 · Politician

    François Mitterrand

    Mitterrand began his career on the Catholic nationalist right before joining the Resistance and moving left. He served as France's president from 1981 to 1995, the longest-serving head of state of the Fifth Republic.

    Comet Photo AG (Zürich) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Died on October 26

50 more in the app
  • William Hogarth
    1697 – 1764 · Painter

    William Hogarth

    English painter and engraver who turned London vice and politics into sharp, multi-panel stories. His prints sold widely in his lifetime, and his name became shorthand for biting social satire.

    Public domain

Explore another day

Every date of the year has its own page. Try your birthday.