On this day: June 26
Allied Airlift Begins Supplying West Berlin as Soviet Blockade Starts
On June 26, 1948, Western Allies launched a large-scale airlift to supply West Berlin after Soviet authorities blocked land and water routes into the city, marking a pivotal early crisis of the Cold War.
Televised U.S. presidential debate airs for first time
On June 26, 1960, the first-ever televised U.S. presidential debate was broadcast, bringing the candidates into American living rooms and altering campaign communication by privileging visual presentation alongside policy arguments.
Berlin Airlift Begins: Allied Planes Lift Blockaded City
On June 26, 1948, British and American aircraft began sustained supply flights to West Berlin after Soviet authorities blocked ground routes; the operation marked the start of a year-long effort to sustain the city's two million residents by air.
Delegates Sign the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, 1945
On June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 Allied nations signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, formally creating the UN and signaling a new framework for international cooperation after World War II.
United Nations Charter Adopted at San Francisco Conference
On June 26, 1945, delegates at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco adopted the UN Charter, creating the foundational legal framework for the United Nations and setting principles for postwar international cooperation and collective security.
Supreme Court invalidates sodomy laws in landmark 2003 ruling
On June 26, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that state laws criminalizing consensual adult same-sex sexual conduct are unconstitutional, overturning prior precedents and reshaping privacy and equality law in the United States.
Supreme Court Invalidates State Sodomy Laws in Landmark 2003 Ruling
On June 26, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state laws criminalizing private, consensual same-sex sexual conduct are unconstitutional, overturning prior precedent and marking a major victory for LGBTQ rights.
Supreme Court Ruling Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, requiring states to both license and recognize marriages of same-sex couples.