February 11
February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 323 days remain until the end of the year (324 in leap years).
Events
- 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
- 1531 - Henry VIII of England recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.
- 1659 - The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses.
- 1752 - Pennsylvania Hospital, 1st hospital in the United States, opens.
- 1790 - Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions U.S. Congress for abolition of slavery.
- 1794 - First session of United States Senate open to the public.
- 1808 - Anthracite coal first burned as fuel, experimentally.
- 1809 - Robert Fulton patents the steamboat
- 1812 - Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry gerrymanders for the first time.
- 1814 - Norway's independence is proclaimed, marking the ultimate end of the Kalmar Union.
- 1826 - University College London is founded under the name University of London.
- 1840 - Gaetano Donizetti's opera La Fille du Régiment receives its first performance in Paris.
- 1843 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi receives its first performance in Milan.
- 1855 - Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia, by Abuna Salama III in a ceremony at the church of Derasge Maryam.
- 1858 - The Blessed Virgin Mary reputedly appears to Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes.
- 1861 - American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
- 1873 - King Amadeus I of Spain abdicates.
- 1889 - Meiji constitution of Japan adopted; 1st Diet of Japan convenes in 1890.
- 1895 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. This record was equalled on 10 January, 1982 and again on 30 December, 1995.
- 1902 - Police assault universal suffrage demonstrators in Brussels.
- 1903 - Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna.
- 1905 - Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos.
- 1916 - Emma Goldman arrested for lecturing on birth control.
- 1919 - Friedrich Ebert (SPD), elected President of Germany.
- 1929 - Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
- 1937 - A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers Union.
- 1938 - BBC Television produces the world's first ever science fiction television program, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Capek play R.U.R. (The play which coined the term "robot").
- 1939 - Lockheed P-38 flies from California to New York in 7 hours 2 minutes.
- 1941 - First Gold record presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga Choo Choo".
- 1942 - The Battle of Bukit Timah was fought in Singapore during World War II.
- 1943 - General Dwight Eisenhower selected to command the allied armies in Europe.
- 1948 - John Costello succeeds Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach of Ireland.
- 1953 - President Dwight Eisenhower refuses clemency appeal for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg.
- 1953 - The Soviet Union breaks off diplomatic relations with Israel.
- 1964 - Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.
- 1964 - The Republic of China (Taiwan) breaks off diplomatic relations with France.
- 1968 - Israeli-Jordanian border clashes.
- 1971 - Eighty-seven countries, including the US, UK, and USSR, sign the Seabed Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons in international waters.
- 1973 - Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.
- 1978 - Censorship: the People's Republic of China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, Shakespeare and Dickens.
- 1979 - Islamic revolution of Iran achieved victory by leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
- 1981 - 100,000 gallons (380 m³) of radioactive coolant leak into the containment building of TVA Sequoyah 1 nuclear plant in Tennessee, contaminating 8 workers.
- 1987 - Philippines constitution goes into effect.
- 1990 - Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years, is freed from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa.
- 1991 - UNPO, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, forms in The Hague, Netherlands.
- 1997 - Space Shuttle Discovery was launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
- 2006 - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shoots Harry Whittington in the face while the two are hunting together.
- 2007 - In Portugal, a national referendum dictates non-therapeutic abortion to become legal when requested by the woman during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Births
- 1377 - King Ladislas of Naples (d. 1414)
- 1380 - Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist (d. 1459)
- 1466 - Elizabeth of York, wife of Henry VII of England (d. 1503)
- 1535 - Pope Gregory XIV (d. 1591)
- 1568 - Honoré d'Urfé, French writer (d. 1625)
- 1649 - William Carstares, Scottish minister (d. 1715)
- 1657 - Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, French scientist and man of letters (d. 1757)
- 1755 - Albert Christoph Dies, German composer (d. 1822)
- 1764 - Marie-Joseph de Chenier, French poet (d. 1811)
- 1774 - Hans Järta, Swedish political activist (d. 1847)
- 1776 - Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek diplomat of the Russian Empire and first head of state of independent Greece (d. 1831)
- 1799 - Basil Moreau, French Founder priest (d. 1873)
- 1800 - William Henry Fox Talbot, English photographer (d. 1877)
- 1802 - Lydia Child, American abolitionist (d. 1880)
- 1812 - Alexander Hamilton Stephens, American politician (d. 1883)
- 1813 - Otto Ludwig, German writer and critic (d. 1865)
- 1819 - Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, American composer (d. 1890)
- 1821 - Auguste-Édouard Mariette, French Egyptologist (d. 1881)
- 1830 - Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff, Prussian musician (d. 1913)
- 1833 - Melville Weston Fuller, 8th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1910)
- 1839 - Josiah Willard Gibbs, American physicist (d. 1903)
- 1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor-lightbulb (d. 1931)
- 1860 - Rachilde, French author (d. 1953)
- 1869 - Helene Kroller-Muller, Dutch museum founder (d. 1939)
- 1869 - Else Lasker-Schüler, German writer (d. 1945)
- 1873 - Feodor Chaliapin, Russian singer (d. 1938)
- 1874 - Fritz Bennicke Hart, English-born composer (d. 1949)
- 1874 - Elsa Beskow, Swedish author (d. 1953)
- 1887 - John van Melle, South African writer (d. 1953)
- 1890 - David Drummond, Australian politician (d. 1965)
- 1891 - J.W. Hearne English cricketer (d. 1965)
- 1894 - Alfonso Leng, Chilean composer (d. 1974)
- 1898 - Leó Szilárd, Hungarian-born physicist (d. 1964)
- 1900 - Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher (d. 2002)
- 1900 - Josei Toda, Japanese educator (d. 1958)
- 1901 - Roddy Connolly, Irish politician, son of James Connolly (d. 1980)
- 1902 - Arne Jacobsen, Danish architect (d. 1971)
- 1903 - Hans Redlich, Austrian composer (d. 1968)
- 1904 - Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1983)
- 1908 - Philip Dunne, American screenwriter, director and producer (d. 1992)
- 1908 - Vivian Ernest Fuchs, English geologist (d. 1999)
- 1909 - Max Baer, American boxer and actor (d. 1959)
- 1909 - Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director (d. 1993)
- 1912 - Roy Fuller, English writer (d. 1991)
- 1914 - Matt Dennis, American singer (d. 2002)
- 1915 - Patrick Leigh Fermor, English author
- 1917 - Sidney Sheldon, American author (d. 2007)
- 1919 - Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born actress (d. 1995)
- 1919 - Eddie Robinson, American football coach (d. 2007)
- 1920 - King Farouk I of Egypt (d. 1965)
- 1920 - Billy Halop, American actor (d. 1976)
- 1920 - Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., American general (d. 1978)
- 1921 - Lloyd Bentsen, American politician (d. 2006)
- 1921 - Edward Seidensticker, American scholar (d. 2007)
- 1925 - Kim Stanley, American actress (d. 2001)
- 1926 - Paul Bocuse, French chef
- 1926 - Alexander Gibson, British conductor
- 1926 - Leslie Nielsen, Canadian actor
- 1930 - Roy De Forest, American Painter (d. 2007)
- 1931 - Larry Merchant, American sportswriter
- 1932 - Jerome Lowenthal, American pianist
- 1932 - Dennis Skinner, British politician
- 1934 - Mel Carnahan, American politician (d. 2000)
- 1934 - Tina Louise, American actress
- 1934 - Mary Quant, English fashion designer
- 1934 - John Surtees, British race car driver
- 1935 - Bent Lorentzen, Danish composer
- 1935 - Gene Vincent, American musician (d. 1971)
- 1936 - Burt Reynolds, American actor
- 1937 - Bill Lawry, Australian cricketer
- 1937 - Eddie Shack, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1938 - Bevan Congdon, New Zealand cricketer
- 1938 - Simone de Oliveira, Portuguese actress
- 1938 - Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general
- 1938 - Bobby "Boris" Pickett, American singer and songwriter (d. 2007)
- 1939 - Gerry Goffin, American lyricist
- 1939 - Jane Yolen, American author
- 1941 - Sergio Mendes, Brazilian musician
- 1943 - Serge Lama, French singer
- 1946 - Ian Porterfield, English footballer (d. 2007)
- 1947 - Joselito, Spanish singer
- 1947 - Derek Shulman, English musician
- 1953 - Philip Anglim, American actor
- 1953 - Jeb Bush, American politician
- 1954 - Noriyuki Asakura, Japanese composer
- 1956 - H.R., American singer (Bad Brains)
- 1956 - Catherine Hickland, American actress
- 1956 - Didier Lockwood, French violinist
- 1959 - Roberto Moreno, Brazilian racing driver
- 1960 - Nick Currie, Scottish musician (AKA Momus)
- 1961 - Mary Docter, American speed skater
- 1961 - Carey Lowell, American actress
- 1962 - Tammy Baldwin, American politician
- 1962 - Sheryl Crow, American musician
- 1962 - Eric Vanderaerden, Belgian cyclist
- 1963 - José Mari Bakero, Spanish footballer
- 1963 - Diane Franklin, American actress
- 1964 - Ken Shamrock, American martial artist
- 1965 - Vicki Wilson, Australian netballer
- 1967 - Uwe Daßler, German swimmer
- 1967 - Hank Gathers, American basketball player (d. 1990)
- 1969 - Jennifer Aniston, American actress
- 1970 - Fredrik Thordendal, Swedish musician (Meshuggah)
- 1971 - Damian Lewis, British actor
- 1972 - Brian Daubach, American baseball player
- 1972 - Craig Jones, American musician (Slipknot)
- 1972 - Steve Mcmanaman, English footballer
- 1972 - Kelly Slater, American surfer
- 1973 - Ethan Iverson, jazz pianist
- 1973 - Jeon Do-yeon, Korean actress
- 1973 - Varg Vikernes, Norwegian musician (Burzum)
- 1974 - D'Angelo, American singer
- 1974 - Alex Jones, American radio host
- 1974 - Zain Verjee, American newsreporter
- 1975 - Jacque Vaughn, NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs
- 1976 - Brice Beckham, American actor
- 1976 - André Wickström, Finland-Swedish comedian and actor
- 1977 - Mike Shinoda, American singer (Linkin Park)
- 1979 - Brandy Norwood, American singer
- 1980 - André "Titi" Buengo, Angolan footballer
- 1980 - Marco Bresciano, Australian footballer
- 1980 - Matthew Lawrence, American actor
- 1980 - Cormac McAnallen, Gaelic footballer (d. 2004)
- 1981 - Kelly Rowland, American singer (Destiny's Child)
- 1981 - Scot Thompson, American soccer player for the Portland Timbers
- 1982 - Neil Robertson, Australian snooker player
- 1983 - Nicki Clyne, Canadian actress
- 1983 - Huang Shengyi, Chinese actress
- 1983 - Rafael Van der Vaart, Dutch soccer player
- 1984 - Aubrey O'Day, American singer (Danity Kane)
- 1984 - Matthew Good, American musician (From First to Last)
- 1985 - Mike Richards, Canadian hockey player
- 1990 - Princess Ayah of Jordan
- 1993 - Blair Dunlop, English actor
Deaths
- 641 - Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium
- 731 - Pope Gregory II
- 821 - Saint Benedict of Aniane
- 824 - Pope Paschal I
- 1141 - Hugo of St. Victor, German philosopher and theologian
- 1160 - Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Japanese general (b. 1123)
- 1503 - Elizabeth of York, queen consort of Henry VII of England (b. 1466)
- 1626 - Pietro Cataldi, Italian mathematician (b. 1552)
- 1650 - René Descartes, French philosopher (b. 1596)
- 1685 - David Teniers III, Flemish painter (b. 1638)
- 1713 - Jahandar Shah, Mughal emperor of India (b. 1664)
- 1755 - Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei, Italian archaeologist (b. 1675)
- 1762 - Johann Tobias Krebs, German composer (b. 1690)
- 1763 - William Shenstone, English poet (b. 1714)
- 1797 - Antoine Dauvergne, French composer (b. 1713)
- 1829 - Alexandr Griboyedov, Russian playwright (b. 1795)
- 1862 - Elizabeth Siddal, British poet and artist (b. 1829)
- 1868 - Léon Foucault, French astronomer (b. 1819)
- 1879 - Honoré Daumier, French caricaturist and painter (b. 1808)
- 1917 - Oswaldo Cruz, Brazilian physician (b. 1872)
- 1923 - Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician (b. 1847)
- 1931 - Charles Algernon Parsons, British inventor (b. 1854)
- 1939 - Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer (b. 1874)
- 1940 - John Buchan, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1875)
- 1945 - Al Dubin, Swiss songwriter (b. 1891)
- 1948 - Sergei Eisenstein, Latvian film director (b. 1898)
- 1959 - Marshall Teague, American race car driver (b. 1922)
- 1963 - Sylvia Plath, American writer (b. 1932)
- 1968 - Howard Lindsay, American playwright (b. 1888)
- 1972 - Jan Wils, Dutch architect (b. 1891)
- 1973 - Hans D Jensen, German physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1907)
- 1975 - Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy soldier and statesman, assassinated (b. 1931)
- 1976 - Lee J Cobb, American actor (b. 1911)
- 1976 - Alexander Lippisch, German scientist (b. 1894)
- 1976 - Frank Arnau, German writer (b. 1894)
- 1977 - Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (b. 1902)
- 1978 - James B Conant, American chemist and university president (b. 1893)
- 1978 - Harry Martinson, Swedish writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1904)
- 1982 - Eleanor Powell, American actress and dancer (b. 1912)
- 1982 - Takashi Shimura, Japanese actor (b. 1905)
- 1985 - Ben Abruzzo, American businessman and balloonist (b. 1930)
- 1985 - Henry Hathaway, American actor and director (b. 1898)
- 1985 - Heinz Eric Roemheld, American composer (b. 1901)
- 1986 - Frank Herbert, American author (b. 1920)
- 1986 - Evelio Javier, Filipino politician, lawyer, and civil servant (b. 1942)
- 1987 - Sadequain, famous Pakistani painter and artist. (b. 1930)
- 1989 - George O'Hanlon, American actor and director (b. 1912)
- 1991 - Robert W. Holley, American biochemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1922)
- 1994 - Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (b. 1946)
- 1994 - Sorrell Booke, American actor (b. 1930)
- 1994 - William Conrad, American actor (b. 1920)
- 1996 - Kebby Musokotwane, Prime Minister of Zambia (b. 1946)
- 1996 - Cyril Poole, English cricketer (b. 1921)
- 1996 - Amelia Rosselli, Italian poet (b. 1930)
- 1997 - Barry Evans, English actor (b. 1943)
- 1997 - Don Porter, American actor (b. 1912)
- 2000 - Roger Vadim, French director (b. 1928)
- 2000 - Jacqueline Auriol, French aviatrix (b. 1917)
- 2002 - Frank Crosetti, baseball player (b. 1910)
- 2002 - Barry Foster, British actor (b. 1931)
- 2004 - Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (b. 1925)
- 2005 - Jack L. Chalker, American author (b. 1944)
- 2006 - Jockey Shabalala, South African singer (b. 1943)
- 2006 - Peter Benchley, American author (b. 1940)
- 2006 - Jackie Pallo, wrestler (b. 1926)
- 2007 - Marianne Fredriksson, a Swedish author (b. 1927)
Holidays and observances
- Catholicism - Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes.
- National Foundation Day in Japan (See Holidays of Japan.)
- Anniversary of Islamic revolution in Iran. (See Public holidays in Iran.)
- National Youth Day in Cameroon.
- National Inventors' Day in the United States.
- February 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)