On This Day: What happened on 26 July?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 26 July, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

1847 | Liberia declares its independence.

1882 | The Republic of Stellaland is founded in Southern Africa.

1952 | King Farouk of Egypt abdicates in favor of his son Fuad.

1956 | Following the World Bank’s refusal to fund building the Aswan Dam, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, sparking international condemnation.

2009 | The militant Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram attacks a police station in Bauchi, leading to reprisals by the Nigeria Police Force and four days of violence across multiple cities.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 25 July?

DEATHS

1987 | Egyptian writer and visionary, Tawfiq al-Hakim (88)

2004 | South African jazz legend, Sipho Gumede (47 – 53)

BIRTHDAYS

1888 | South African cricketer and rugby player, Reginald Hands.

1939 | SA poet and artist, Wopko Jensma.

1983 | Nigerian footballer, Stephen Makinwa.

SPORT

1745 | The first recorded women’s cricket match takes place near Guildford, England.

2009 | Tunisia’s Oussama Mellouli takes second place in the Men’s 400m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy, day 1. He breaks the African record for that race.

2010 | Zimbabwe’s Chevrons win against the Netherlands by 137 runs at the ICC Intercontinental Cup in Amstelveen on day 1.

2011 | Kenya plays the UAE at the ICC Intercontinental Cup One-Day, round 1. United Arab Emirates win by 4 wickets.

ENTERTAINMENT

1951 | Walt Disney’s 13th animated film, Alice in Wonderland, premieres in London, England, United Kingdom.

AFRICA FACT

The African continent has the second largest population in the world, at about one billion people. Well over one thousand languages are spoken by the people of Africa. Some estimates put this number closer to two thousand.