Today in History: April 26

2000: Vermont Governor Howard Dean signed the nation's first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.1994: Nelson Mandela wins the presidency in South Africa's first multiracial elections.

1986: The world's worst nuclear disaster occurs at the Chernobyl power plant in the Soviet Union.

1983: The Dow Jones Industrial Average breaks 1,200 for first time.

1968: Students seize the administration building at Ohio State University.

1964: Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined to form Tanzania.

1941: The first organ is played at a baseball stadium in Chicago.

1937: The ancient Basque town of Guernica in northern Spain is bombed by German planes.

1931: New York Yankee Lou Gehrig hits a home run but is called out for passing a runner, the mistake ultimately costs him the home run record.

1929: The first non-stop flight from England to India is completed.

1915: Second Lieutenant Rhodes-Moorhouse becomes the first airman to win the Victoria Cross after conducting a successful bombing raid.

1865: Joseph E. Johnston surrenders the Army of Tennessee to Sherman.

1607: The British establish a colony at Cape Henry, Virginia.

1564: William Shakespeare is baptized.

1514: Copernicus makes his first observations of Saturn.

1478: Pazzi conspirators attack Lorenzo and kill Giuliano de'Medici.

757  : Stephen II ends his reign as Catholic Pope.