Tannenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Wikimedia Commons 1942 The Battle of Gazala began in Italian Libya, a major North African campaign engagement of World War II that led to Rommel's capture of Tobruk.
Sources: BBC ; World History Encyclopedia
History
Ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie church, Gondar, Ethiopia. Photo: Rod Waddington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence · Source
On this day: May 26 in African history
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
Tannenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Wikimedia Commons 1942 
Suidpunt, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1948 South Africa's National Party won the all-white general election, beginning the era of formal apartheid rule.
Sources: South African History Online ; BBC News
Corrected in September 2026 · see what changed
HistoryThe Constitutive Act of the African Union entered into force, formally replacing the Organisation of African Unity.
Sources: African Union ; United Nations Treaty Collection
Politics
Ange Tissier, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1883 Emir Abd al-Qadir (Abdelkader El Djezairi), the Algerian resistance leader who fought French colonization, died.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; TDV Islam Ansiklopedisi (Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi)
Death
Paco Marí, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons 2002 Mamo Wolde, the Ethiopian runner who won the marathon at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, died.
Sources: World Athletics ; The Guardian
DeathJ.F. Ade Ajayi, the Nigerian historian who helped pioneer the modern study of African history, was born.
Sources: The Guardian ; University of Ibadan (UI Bulletin)
Birth