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February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar . There are 323 days remaining until the end of the year (324 in leap years ).
Events
660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu .
55 - Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus , heir to the Roman Emperorship , dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome. This clears the way for Nero to become Emperor.
1531 - Henry VIII of England is 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 , the first 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 is first burned as fuel, experimentally.
1809 - Robert Fulton took out a patent for improvements to steamboat navigation
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 is adopted; the first Diet of Japan convenes in 1890 .
1895 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C is 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 is arrested for lecturing on birth control .
1919 - Friedrich Ebert (SPD ), is 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. , which coined the term "robot ".
1939 - Lockheed P-38 flies from California to New York in 7 hours 2 minutes.
1941 - First Gold record is presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga Choo Choo ".
1942 - The Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore during World War II .
1943 - World War II : General Dwight Eisenhower is 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 .
1963 - Julia Child 's show The French Chef premieres.
1964 - Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol , Cyprus .
1964 - The Republic of China (Taiwan ) breaks off diplomatic relations with France .
1964 - The Beatles hold their first concert in the United States at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C.
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 achieves victory under the 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 .
1990 - Buster Douglas KO's "Iron" Mike Tyson in Tokyo , Japan .
1991 - UNPO , the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization , forms in The Hague , Netherlands .
1997 - Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope .
2007 - In Portugal , a national referendum legalizes non-therapeutic abortion when requested by the woman during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
2008 - In East Timor , assassination attempts were made on Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta . Both failed.
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 and inventor (d. 1877 )
1802 - Lydia Maria 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 (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 )
1917 - T. Nagi Reddy , Indian revolutionary (d. 1976 )
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 , MBE , English motorcycle and 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
1954 - Wesley Strick , American screenwriter
1956 - H.R. , American singer
1956 - Catherine Hickland , American actress
1956 - Didier Lockwood , French violinist
1959 - Roberto Moreno , Brazilian racing driver
1960 - Nick Currie , Scottish musician
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
1964 - Sarah Palin , American politician
1965 - Vicki Wilson , Australian netballer
1967 - Uwe Daßler , German swimmer
1967 - Hank Gathers , American basketball player (d. 1990 )
1967 - Scott Shay , American linguist
1969 - Jennifer Aniston , American actress
1970 - Fredrik Thordendal , Swedish musician
1971 - Damian Lewis , British actor
1972 - Brian Daubach , American baseball player
1972 - Craig Jones , American musician
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
1974 - D'Angelo , American singer
1974 - Alex Jones , American radio host
1974 - Zain Verjee , American newsreporter
1975 - Jacque Vaughn , American basketball player
1975 - Andy Lally , American race car driver
1976 - Brice Beckham , American actor
1976 - André Wickström , Finland-Swedish comedian and actor
1977 - Mike Shinoda , American musician, Linkin Park, Fort Minor
1979 - Brandy , American singer and actress
1980 - Marco Bresciano , Australian soccer player
1980 - Titi Buengo , Angolan footballer
1980 - Matthew Lawrence , American actor
1980 - Cormac McAnallen , Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (d. 2004 )
1981 - Kelly Rowland , American singer
1981 - Scot Thompson , American soccer player
1982 - Neil Robertson , Australian snooker player
1983 - Nicki Clyne , Canadian actress
1983 - Huang Shengyi , Chinese actress
1983 - Rafael Van der Vaart , Dutch footballer
1984 - Matt Good , American musician
1984 - Aubrey O'Day , American singer
1985 - Mike Richards , Canadian ice hockey player
1985 - William Beckett , lead singer of the American rock band The Academy Is...
1990 - Princess Ayah of Jordan
1992 - Taylor Lautner , American actor
1992 - Blair Dunlop , English actor
1994 - Dominic Janes , American 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 )
1511 - Henry, Duke of Cornwall , son of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon
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 )
1954 - Adolph M. Christianson , justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court (b. 1877 )
1958 - Ernest Jones , British psychonanalyst (b. 1879 )
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 , Swedish author (b. 1927 )
2008 - Tom Lantos , member of the United States House of Representatives (b. 1928 )
2008 - Frank Piasecki , American aeronautical designer (b. 1919 )
Holidays and observances
External links