Disability Independence Day
Disability Independence Day is observed annually on July 26th in the United States. This day marks the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The ADA is landmark civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
World Tofu Day
World Tofu Day is celebrated on July 26th, dedicated to raising awareness about tofu, its health benefits, and its versatility as a food. Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soy milk that has been coagulated and pressed into solid white blocks. It is a staple in many Asian cuisines and is widely used in vegetarian and vegan diets around the world.
July 26th has seen many significant historical events across various fields.
Historical Events
1745: The first recorded women’s cricket match takes place near Guildford, England.
1775: The Second Continental Congress establishes the United States Post Office and appoints Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General.
1803: The Surrey Iron Railway, arguably the world’s first public railway, opens in south London, United Kingdom.
1847: Liberia, a West African country founded by freed American and Caribbean slaves, declares its independence.
1908: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is founded.
1945: The Labour Party, led by Clement Attlee, wins a landslide victory in the UK general election, ousting Winston Churchill from power.
1952: King Farouk of Egypt abdicates in favor of his son, Fuad II, following a revolution by the Free Officers Movement.
1953: Fidel Castro leads an attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, an event now considered the start of the Cuban Revolution.
1990: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is signed into law by President George H.W. Bush.
2016: Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Birthdays
1739: George Clinton, American soldier and politician, 4th Vice President of the United States (d. 1812).
1856: George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright, critic, and polemicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1950).
1875: Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology (d. 1961).
1928: Stanley Kubrick, American film director, producer, and screenwriter known for films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “A Clockwork Orange” (d. 1999).
1943: Mick Jagger, English singer-songwriter and actor, lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones.
1945: Helen Mirren, English actress, known for her work in film, television, and theater.
1964: Sandra Bullock, American actress and producer, known for her roles in “Speed,” “The Blind Side,” and “Gravity.”
1973: Kate Beckinsale, English actress known for her roles in “Underworld” and “Pearl Harbor.”
Deaths
1863: Sam Houston, American soldier and politician, President of the Republic of Texas (b. 1793).
1952: Eva Perón, First Lady of Argentina, champion of labor rights and women’s suffrage (b. 1919).
1984: Ed Gein, American criminal and murderer, whose crimes inspired several books and films (b. 1906).
1986: Vincente Minnelli, American film director and stage director known for films like “An American in Paris” and “Gigi” (b. 1903).
2010: Antonio Vega, Spanish singer-songwriter and guitarist, known as one of the most important figures in Spanish pop music (b. 1957).
