March 26: What Happened on This Day in History
March 26th marks the 85th day of the Gregorian calendar year (or the 86th in case of leap years). There are 280 days remaining until the end of the year.
Discover what happened on March 26th in history, famous birthdays on March 26th, celebrities died on this day, the day of the week and the zodiac sign associated to March 26.
What happened on March 26?
Here's what happened on March 26th in history:
- 2008: Top commander Pedro Antonio Marín, also known as Manuel Marulanda, of the Colombian leftist rebel group FARC dies of a heart attack at age 78. Marulanda was a key figure in Colombia's long-running guerrilla conflict and had led FARC since its founding in 1964.
- 2006: Paul Dana, an American race car driver born in 1975, passed away on this date. Dana was a notable figure in motorsports who tragically died in a racing incident.
- 2000: The Seattle Kingdome, a multi-purpose stadium that had been a landmark of the city's sports infrastructure since 1976, was demolished through a controlled implosion. This event made way for new sports facilities and represented a significant urban redevelopment project in Seattle.
- 1994: Popular talk show host Ricki Lake wed Rob Sussman in a personal milestone event.
- 1990: The 62nd Academy Awards celebrated outstanding achievements in cinema, with the film 'Driving Miss Daisy' winning Best Picture. Daniel Day-Lewis was honored for Best Actor, while Jessica Tandy won Best Actress. The ceremony was hosted by comedian Billy Crystal and took place at the prestigious Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California.
- 1987: Yui is a notable Japanese musician and singer known for her distinctive musical style and contributions to the Japanese pop and rock music scene.
- 1983: The United States conducted a nuclear weapons test at the Nevada Test Site, continuing Cold War-era nuclear weapons research and development. These underground nuclear tests were part of the ongoing strategic nuclear program during the height of tensions with the Soviet Union.
- 1978: On March 26, 1978, the control tower and other facilities of the New Tokyo International Airport were illegally occupied and damaged by New Left activists. This terrorist attack forced the airport's scheduled opening on March 31 to be postponed until May 20. The incident highlighted the political tensions and radical activism prevalent in Japan during the late 1970s.
- 1977: Elvis Costello released his first record 'Less Than Zero', marking the beginning of his influential punk and new wave music career.
- 1975: The rock musical film 'Tommy', based on The Who's iconic rock opera, makes its London debut, bringing Pete Townshend's groundbreaking musical narrative to the big screen.
What famous birthdays are on March 26?
On March 26th there are the following famous birthdays:
![Keira Knightley]()
Keira Knightley (1985)Keira Knightley is a renowned British actress known for her versatile performances in period dramas like 'Pride and Prejudice' and...
![Diana Ross]()
Diana Ross (1944)Legendary Motown singer and actress who rose to fame with The Supremes, becoming one of the most successful and influential female vocalists...
![Richard Dawkins]()
Richard Dawkins (1941)Richard Dawkins is a prominent British evolutionary biologist, author, and prominent atheist intellectual who has significantly influenced...
![Leonard Nimoy]()
Leonard Nimoy (1931)Iconic American actor best known for portraying Spock in the original Star Trek series from 1965-1967.
![Tennessee Williams]()
Tennessee Williams (1911)Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright who revolutionized modern theater with his powerful, emotionally charged works.
![Michael Imperioli]()
Michael Imperioli (1966)Emmy Award-winning actor and screenwriter best known for his iconic role as Christopher Moltisanti in HBO's 'The Sopranos' and his work in...
![Sterling Hayden]()
Sterling Hayden (1916)Renowned Hollywood actor famous for his roles in film noir and westerns, particularly memorable in 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'The Godfather'.
![Teddy Pendergrass]()
Teddy Pendergrass (1950)Teddy Pendergrass was a legendary R&B soul singer known for his powerful, romantic ballads and significant influence on 1970s and 1980s...
![Jennifer Grey]()
Jennifer Grey (1960)Jennifer Grey is an iconic American actress famous for her breakthrough role as Baby in the classic romantic dance film 'Dirty Dancing'...
![Juliana Paes]()
Juliana Paes (1979)Juliana Paes is a prominent Brazilian television actress who has starred in numerous popular telenovelas and is considered one of Brazil's...
How to check someone's birthday?
If you’re looking for a person's birth date, have a look at our Birthday Search Guide
Who died on March 26?
On March 26th the following celebrities died:
![Jan Sterling]()
Jan Sterling (2004)Acclaimed American film actress who was Oscar-nominated for her role in 'The High and Mighty' and appeared in over 26 films during her...
![Jan Berry]()
Jan Berry (2004)American rock musician and songwriter, one half of the famous duo Jan and Dean, known for their surf rock hits like 'Deadman's Curve'.
![Jean Stafford]()
Jean Stafford (1979)Jean Stafford was a distinguished American novelist and short story writer who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1970.
![Innocent Vareed Thekkethala]()
![Walter Abel]()
![Sarah Bernhardt]()
![Richard Arlen]()
- Roland Barthes (1980)
Roland Barthes was a prominent French literary theorist, philosopher, and critic who significantly influenced semiotics and structuralist...
- David Packard (1996)
Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard (HP), David Packard was a pioneering Silicon Valley entrepreneur who revolutionized the technology and...
What day of the year is March 26?
March 26th marks the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (or the 86th in case of leap years).
There are 280 days remaining until the end of the year.
March 26th is the 26th day of the month of March.
What day of the week is March 26?
On March 26th, 2025 the day of the week is Wednesday.
| March | 2025 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | ||||||
What zodiac sign is associated with the day March 26?
The zodiac sign associated with March 26th is Aries according to the Western Zodiac.
