April 26- Chernobyl disaster

April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (117th in leap years). There are 249 days remaining in the year.

From:

Wikipedia

Also occurring today in Women's History:

1777 - On April 26th, 1777, a 16-year-old daughter of a New York militia officer named Sybil Luddington, upon learning that the British were burning Danbury, Connecticut, got on her horse and rode 40 miles from New York to Connecticut, rallying her father's militia and earning her in history the nickname "the female Paul Revere" . Racing through the dark night over more than 40 miles of unfamiliar roads, the 16 year old girl spread the alarm to rouse the countryside against the attack.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/heartland/plains/1789/sybil.html

1886 - Gertrude Pridgett Rainey was born. Often called the �Mother of the Blues,� Rainey is credited with the rise in popularity of blues music at the beginning of the 20th century. She was also known as the �Gold Necklace Woman of the Blues� because she carried her wealth in gold dollars on a chain. The child of minstrel show performers, Gertrude Pridgett took to the stage at 14. In 1904, she married Will �Pa� Rainey and together they performed as the �Assassinators of the Blues�. She sang for more than 20 years before her recording debut in 1923. Although her recording career lasted a mere six years, she recorded more than 100 songs, including �Bo-Weavil Blues� and �Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,� supported by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, and Louie Austin

Source: http://www.redhotjazz.com/rainey.html


Ma Rainey

1923 - Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married Albert, Duke of York, second son of King George V of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1936, when Edward VIII abdicated, Albert became King George VI and Elizabeth the queen consort.

Source: http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/Windsor/QueenMother.htm l


Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon


Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as a young girl