Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/April 26

This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/April 26.

To report an error when this list is currently on the Main Page, see Main Page errors. Please remember that this list defers to the supporting articles, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding April 26 article, see Talk:April 26 instead.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?: A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.

As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.

Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.

Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.

Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?

A2: The short, basic reason is the systemic bias of Wikipedia. There are not enough good, well-written articles on 19th-century and earlier events for all 365 days in the year. Currently, a majority of users seem to be generally more interested in writing articles about recent events. If you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q3: This page seems to be biased toward events based in [Insert country or region here]. What can be done about it?

A3: This again is attributed to the systemic bias of Wikipedia. Many users are generally more interested in working on good, well-written articles pertaining to their home country. Since this is the English Wikipedia, there will be more English-speaking users, and thus more articles pertaining to English-speaking countries. And if there are more users who are from the United States, there will probably be more well-written articles about events based in the United States. Again, if you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?

A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.

Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?

A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.

Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?

A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:

Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.

Today's featured article for April 26, 2025

Wikipedia:Today's featured article/April 26, 2025

create – talk – watch

Picture of the day for April 26, 2025

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is a royal residence in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Opened in 1655 as a town hall, the main architect was Jacob van Campen, who designed it in the Dutch Baroque style. Its yellow sandstone has been darkened by pollution over time.

Louis Bonaparte became King of Holland in 1806 and established his court in Amsterdam, turning the town hall into a palace; it has been used by Dutch monarchs since then, although their main place of residence is Huis ten Bosch in The Hague.

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is used for entertaining and official functions during state visits and other official receptions, such as New Year. The award ceremonies of the Erasmus Prize, of the Silver Carnation, of the Royal Awards for Modern Painting, and of the Prince Claus Awards are also held in the palace. The balcony of the Royal Palace was used during the investiture of Queen Beatrix in 1980, where her mother Juliana announced the new queen to the people.

Photograph: Diego Delso

Recently featured:

← Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/April 25 * Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/April 27 →

1478 - The Pazzi attack Lorenzo de' Medici and kill his brother Giuliano during High Mass in the Florence Cathedral.
1937 - Spanish Civil War: Guernica, Spain is bombed by German Luftwaffe.
1942 - The worst ever mining accident occurs when 1,549 miners are killed by an explosion at the Honkeiko Colliery, Manchuria.
1986 - In the Ukraine, one of the reactors at the Chornobyl (Chernobyl) nuclear plant explodes creating the worlds worst nuclear disaster. 31 are killed directly by the incident and many thousands more were exposed to significant amounts of radioactive material.

World Intellectual Property Day

Latest comment: 17 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

This article has no sources other than WIPO websites and press releases and thus no indication that this is a bonafide holiday. What differentiates this from a corporation declaring April 26 to be "Buy-more-stuff-from-Walmart day" or "Spend-the-night-at-a-Westin day." I'm removing it until someone can produce non-trivial mentions in independent media that confirm that this is observed by anyone other than the one NGO than established it. Savidan 20:46, 6 May 2007 (UTC)Reply

Sacred Cod

Latest comment: 14 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

I would like to suggest a mention of the "Cod-napping" of the Sacred Cod of Massachusetts taking place on this day in 1933, or possibly two days later, when it was returned.--Found5dollar (talk) 21:14, 5 January 2010 (UTC)Reply

Congo

Latest comment: 14 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

On April 26, 1966, a new government is formed in the Republic of Congo, led by Ambroise Noumazalaye (see Bazenguissa-Ganga, Rémy. Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique. Paris: Karthala, 1997. pp. 113-114). Formations of gov't are perhaps not the most notable events, but on other hand Francophone Africa is generally grossly underrepresented in Wikipedia. --Soman (talk) 12:41, 6 January 2010 (UTC)Reply

SS Ideal X

Latest comment: 12 years ago2 comments2 people in discussion

The 'On This Day' article says the SS Ideal X was the World's first container ship. Query container ship and it notes the SS Ideal X is the United States first container ship, and notes purpose built container ships were operating in Europe several years prior. Query SS Ideal X, and that article does not mention it 'First' at all. Driftwood87 (talk) 01:49, 26 April 2011 (UTC)Reply

This source says "Ideal X and three other converted T-2 tankers that entered Pan Atlantic service in 1956 are often called the world’s first successful container ships" (emphasis mine). —howcheng {chat} 18:36, 24 April 2012 (UTC)Reply

Chernobyl??

Latest comment: 13 years ago2 comments1 person in discussion

Surprisingly, the most serious nuclear accident in history is not mentioned on the front page.. --ddima .talk 22:05, 26 April 2011 (UTC)Reply

Ah, okay, according to wikistandards the articles are ineligible. --ddima .talk 22:07, 26 April 2011 (UTC)Reply

2012 notes

Latest comment: 12 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Moved to Ineligible: Samantha Smith (appears on July 7)
Omitted: John Wilkes Booth; Take Ichi convoy; Containerization (ineligible—maintenance; blurb previously featured container ship but was factually incorrect); April 26 Editorial; Erfurt massacre
Included: Royal Blue (train) (2nd appearance, last in 2010); Fetal surgery (first appearance); Woo Bum-kon (first appearance); Chernobyl disaster (6th appearance, last in 2009; rescued from Ineligible); Bronze Night (3rd appearance, last in 2010)

—howcheng {chat} 09:22, 25 April 2012 (UTC)Reply

2013 notes

Latest comment: 11 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Omitted: Royal Blue (train); Fetal surgery (ineligible—maintenance); Woo Bum-kon; Bronze Night
Included: Battle of Bautzen (1945) (first appearance); Tanzania (4th appearance, last in 2009; rescued from Ineligible); April 26 Editorial (2nd appearance, last in 2011); China Airlines Flight 140 (first appearance); Erfurt massacre (3rd appearance, last in 2011; rescued from Ineligible)
Repeats: Chernobyl disaster (2nd consecutive appearance, 7 total)

—howcheng {chat} 09:38, 25 April 2013 (UTC)Reply

2014 notes

Latest comment: 10 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

New articles (unused): Naperville train disaster; World Intellectual Property Organization
Omitted: Battle of Bautzen (1945); Chernobyl disaster; April 26 Editorial; Erfurt massacre
Included: World Intellectual Property Day (3rd appearance, last in 2007); John Wilkes Booth (7th appearance, last in 2011); Bombing of Guernica/Guernica (painting) (Painting: first appearance; Bombing: 7th appearance, last in 2010; rescued from Ineligible); Daulatpur–Saturia tornado (first appearance; 25th anniversary)
Repeats: Tanzania (2nd consecutive appearance, 5 total; 50th anniversary); China Airlines Flight 140 (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total; 20th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 09:11, 25 April 2014 (UTC)Reply

2015 notes

Latest comment: 9 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Omitted: Bombing of Guernica/Guernica (painting); Tanzania (ineligible—maintenance); Daulatpur–Saturia tornado; China Airlines Flight 140
Included: Gestapo (3rd appearance, last in 2005; rescued from Ineligible); Battle of Bautzen (1945) (2nd appearance, last in 2013; 70th anniversary); World Intellectual Property Organization (first appearance); Bronze Night (4th appearance, last in 2012)
Repeats: John Wilkes Booth (2nd consecutive appearance, 8 total; 150th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 07:39, 24 April 2015 (UTC)Reply

Suggest adding Sibyl Ludington's ride

Latest comment: 9 years ago2 comments2 people in discussion

Hi, I'd like to suggest the addition of Sibyl Ludington's night ride of 1777 to the list of possible events to feature "on this day" on the main page. Ludington was aged 16 when she rode 40 miles to alert American soldiers to the imminent arrival of British forces. (Please advise what else I need to do to make this nomination, this is the first time I've done this here!) Thanks! MurielMary (talk) 10:47, 5 November 2015 (UTC)Reply

@MurielMary: I should have thought of that article, especially since we already have Laura Secord featured. My daughter portrayed Sybil in her school play! Will get it in there. —howcheng {chat} 00:42, 6 November 2015 (UTC)Reply

2016 notes

Latest comment: 8 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Fetal surgery
Omitted: John Wilkes Booth; Gestapo; Battle of Bautzen (1945); World Intellectual Property Organization; mass protests and riots
Included: Pazzi family (3rd appearance, last in 2006; rescued from Ineligible); Sybil Ludington (first appearance); Naperville train disaster (first appearance; 70th anniversary); Chernobyl disaster (8th appearance, last in 2013; 30th anniversary); Erfurt massacre (4th appearance, last in 2013)

—howcheng {chat} 11:11, 24 April 2016 (UTC)Reply

2017 notes

Latest comment: 7 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Moved to Ineligible: Gestapo (maintenance); Bombing of Guernica/Guernica (Picasso) (both: maintenance); Woo Bum-kon (maintenance); Fetal surgery (maintenance)
Omitted: Pazzi family; Naperville train disaster; Chernobyl disaster (ineligible—maintenance); Erfurt massacre (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: John Wilkes Booth (9th appearance, last in 2015); Battle of Bautzen (1945) (3rd appearance, last in 2015); April 26 Editorial (3rd appearance, last in 2013); Bronze Night (5th appearance, last in 2015; 10th anniversary)
Repeats: Sybil Ludington (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total)

—howcheng {chat} 02:51, 26 April 2017 (UTC)Reply

2018 notes

Latest comment: 6 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Omitted: Sybil Ludington; Battle of Bautzen (1945); April 26 Editorial; Bronze Night; Alice Ayres; I. M. Pei; Morihei Ueshiba
Included: Pazzi (4th appearance, last in 2016); Royal Blue (train) (3rd appearance, last in 2012; 60th anniversary); World Intellectual Property Organization (2nd appearance, last in 2015); China Airlines Flight 140 (3rd appearance, last in 2014); Chen Jingxuan (first appearance); Ludwig Wittgenstein (2nd appearance, last in 2017; appeared on death date of April 29); Srinivasa Ramanujan (first appearance)
Repeats: John Wilkes Booth (2nd consecutive appearance, 10 total)

—howcheng {chat} 03:43, 26 April 2018 (UTC)Reply

2019 notes

Latest comment: 5 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Omitted: John Wilkes Booth; Royal Blue (train); World Intellectual Property Organization; China Airlines Flight 140 (ineligible—maintenance); Chen Jingxuan; Ludwig Wittgenstein; Srinivasa Ramanujan
Included: Sybil Ludington (3rd appearance, last in 2017); Take Ichi convoy (2nd appearance, last in 2011); Daulatpur–Saturia tornado (2nd appearance, last in 2014; 30th anniversary); Erfurt school massacre (5th appearance, last in 2016; rescued from Ineligible); Jean Fernel (first appearance); Margaret Gowing (first appearance); Morihei Ueshiba (2nd appearance, last in 2017; 50th anniversary)
Repeats: Pazzi (2nd consecutive appearance, 5 total)

—howcheng {chat} 15:49, 26 April 2019 (UTC)Reply

2020 notes

Latest comment: 4 years ago1 comment1 person in discussion

Moved to Ineligible: Battle of Bautzen (1945) (fact not in article)
Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Gestapo
New articles (unused): Hack Wilson
Omitted: Sybil Ludington (ineligible—may not be true); Daulatpur–Saturia tornado; Erfurt school massacre (ineligible—maintenance); Jean Fernel; Margaret Gowing; Morihei Ueshiba
Included: World Intellectual Property Organization (3rd appearance, last in 2018; 50th anniversary); Bronze Night (6th appearance, last in 2017); Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily (first appearance); Srinivasa Ramanujan (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 100th birthday); Giorgio Moroder (first appearance; 80th birthday)
Repeats: Pazzi conspiracy/Pazzi (Conspiracy: first appearance, was previously ineligible; Pazzi: 3rd consecutive appearance, 6 total); Take Ichi convoy (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)