1. In 1928, the Indianapolis 500 race was held on May 26 for the first time. The winner was Louis Meyer, a three-time champion.

2. The first female mayor of Indianapolis, Goldie Myers, took office on May 26, 1976, making history in the city's political landscape.

3. On May 26, 1936, the infamous gangster John Dillinger was killed by FBI agents outside of the Biograph Theater in Chicago after a nationwide manhunt.

4. Indiana University's famous Little 500 bicycle race, often called the "World's Greatest College Weekend," is traditionally held on the last weekend of April, but in 2007 it was postponed to May 26 due to inclement weather.

5. On May 26, 1819, the steamboat S.S. Savannah departed from Savannah, Georgia, on the first transoceanic voyage by a steamship. While not directly related to Indiana history, the S.S. Savannah played a monumental role in the development of steam-powered transportation and navigation.