Here are 5 interesting facts about May 26 in Illinois history:

1. In 1906, the Wright brothers performed their first public flight in Illinois at the Grant Park in Chicago. They flew a Wright Flyer for nine minutes over the city, which was witnessed by thousands of spectators.

2. In 1968, the first Scouting for Food project was organized by the Boy Scouts of America in Illinois. The project collected more than 50,000 pounds of food for local food banks and helped raise awareness about hunger in the state.

3. In 1977, a massive tornado outbreak struck Illinois, killing 10 people and injuring more than 250 others. The tornadoes caused widespread damage and destruction in communities across the state.

4. In 2004, Illinois became the first state to ban the use of the death penalty since it was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976. The decision was made after evidence emerged that several innocent people had been put on death row and later exonerated.

5. In 2011, the Illinois legislature passed a law legalizing same-sex civil unions. The law gave same-sex couples many of the same legal rights and protections as married couples, including the ability to make medical decisions for their partners and to inherit property.