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On This Day in History — August 11
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Highlights of August 11
- 2012 — At least 306 people were killed and 3,000 others injured in a pair of earthquakes near Tabriz, Iran. Read more
- 1999 — A tornado struck downtown Salt Lake City, damaging 120 homes and injuring over 100 people. Read more
- 1999 — Ken Levine's System Shock 2 was released to mediocre sales, but later received critical acclaim and influenced subsequent first-person shooter game design. Read more
- 1992 — The Mall of America (pictured) in Bloomington, Minnesota, opened as the largest shopping mall in the United States. Read more
- 1979 — Two Aeroflot passenger jets collided in mid-air near Dniprodzerzhynsk in the Ukrainian SSR, killing all 178 people on both aircraft. Read more
- 1977 — The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated an investigation into the alleged vulnerability of the Ford Pinto to fuel leakage and fire in a rear-end collision. Read more
- 1975 — The Timorese Democratic Union launched a coup in Portuguese Timor, starting the East Timorese civil war. Read more
- 1973 — At a party in New York City, Jamaican musician DJ Kool Herc (pictured) began rapping during an extended break, laying the foundation for hip hop music. Read more
- 1952 — King Talal of Jordan was forced to abdicate due to mental illness and was succeeded by his eldest son, Hussein. Read more
- 1945 — Amid rumors of kidnappings of children by Jews in Kraków, a crowd of Poles took part in a pogrom, resulting in at least one death. Read more
- 1929 — The first Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic, the oldest and largest African-American parade in the United States, was held in Chicago. Read more
- 1786 — Francis Light founded George Town (city hall pictured), the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and the present-day capital of the Malaysian state of Penang. Read more
- 1492 — The first conclave to be held in the Sistine Chapel elected Roderic Borja as Pope Alexander VI to succeed Innocent VIII. Read more
- 1309 — Reconquista: Aragonese forces led by King James II landed on the coast of Almería, beginning an ultimately unsuccessful siege of the city, then held by the Emirate of Granada. Read more
- 106 — The region of Dacia, comprising parts of modern Romania, became a province of the Roman Empire. Read more
Events
- 2023 — Luna 25 launches from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Read more
- 2017 — At least 41 people are killed and another 179 injured after two passenger trains collide in Alexandria, Egypt. Read more
- 2012 — At least 306 people are killed and 3,000 others injured in a pair of earthquakes near Tabriz, Iran. Read more
- 2006 — The oil tanker MT Solar 1 sinks off the coast of Guimaras and Negros Islands in the Philippines, causing the country's worst oil spill. Read more
- 2003 — NATO takes over command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, marking its first major operation outside Europe in its 54-year-history. Read more
- 2003 — Jemaah Islamiyah leader Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, is arrested in Bangkok, Thailand. Read more
- 2000 — An air rage incident occurs on board Southwest Airlines Flight 1763 when 19-year-old Jonathan Burton attempts to storm the cockpit, but he is subdued by other passengers and dies from his injuries. Read more
- 1996 — The killing of Tassos Isaac by Turkish nationalists of the Grey Wolves in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus. Read more
- 1995 — The Russell Hill subway accident in Toronto kills three and injures 30, due to a combination of human error and a safety system design flaw. Read more
- 1992 — The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota opens. At the time, it is the largest shopping mall in the United States. Read more
- 1991 — Nickelodeon's first line of "Nicktoons" (Doug, Rugrats and Ren & Stimpy) premiere on the channel. Read more
- 1988 — A meeting between Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif, Osama bin Laden, Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, and leaders of Egyptian Islamic Jihad in Afghanistan culminates in the formation of Al-Qaeda. Read more
- 1984 — "We begin bombing in five minutes": United States President Ronald Reagan, while running for re-election, jokes while preparing to make his weekly Saturday address on National Public Radio. Read more
- 1982 — A bomb explodes on Pan Am Flight 830, en route from Tokyo, Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii, killing one passenger and injuring 15 others. Read more
- 1979 — Two Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-134s collide over the Ukrainian city of Dniprodzerzhynsk and crash, killing all 178 aboard both airliners. Read more
- 1975 — East Timor: Governor Mário Lemos Pires of Portuguese Timor abandons the capital Dili, following a coup by the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) and the outbreak of civil war between UDT and Fretilin. Read more
- 1973 — At the 1520 Sedgwick Avenue apartment building in The Bronx, New York, DJ Kool Herc hosts a house party widely considered to mark the birthplace of hip-hop culture and music. DJ Kool Herc demonstrates a new technique of beat juggling and Coke La Rock performs a new style of vocal performance called rapping. Read more
- 1972 — Vietnam War: The last United States ground combat unit leaves South Vietnam. Read more
- 1969 — The Apollo 11 astronauts are released from a three-week quarantine following their liftoff from the Moon. Read more
- 1965 — Race riots (the Watts Riots) begin in the Watts area of Los Angeles, California. Read more
- 1962 — Vostok 3 launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev becomes the first person to float in microgravity. Read more
- 1961 — The former Portuguese territories in India of Dadra and Nagar Haveli are merged to create the Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Read more
- 1960 — Chad declares independence from France. Read more
- 1959 — Sheremetyevo International Airport, the second-largest airport in Russia, opens. Read more
- 1952 — Hussein bin Talal is proclaimed King of Jordan. Read more
- 1945 — Poles in Kraków engage in a pogrom against Jews in the city, killing one and wounding five. Read more
- 1942 — Actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil receive a patent for a Frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication system that later became the basis for modern technologies in wireless telephones, two-way radio communications, and Wi-Fi. Read more
- 1934 — The first civilian prisoners arrive at the Federal prison on Alcatraz Island. Read more
- 1929 — Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs in his career with a home run at League Park in Cleveland, Ohio. Read more
- 1920 — The 1920 Cork hunger strike begins which eventually results in the deaths of three Irish Republicans including the Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney. Read more
- 1920 — The Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty, which relinquished Russia's authority and pretenses to Latvia, is signed, ending the Latvian War of Independence. Read more
- 1919 — Germany's Weimar Constitution is signed into law. Read more
- 1918 — World War I: The Battle of Amiens ends. Read more
- 1898 — Spanish–American War: American troops enter the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Read more
- 1871 — An explosion of guncotton occurs in Stowmarket, England, killing 28. Read more
- 1858 — The Eiger in the Bernese Alps is ascended for the first time by Charles Barrington accompanied by Christian Almer and Peter Bohren. Read more
- 1813 — In Colombia, Juan del Corral declares the independence of Antioquia. Read more
- 1812 — Peninsular War: French troops engage British-Portuguese forces in the Battle of Majadahonda. Read more
- 1804 — Francis II assumes the title of first Emperor of Austria. Read more
- 1786 — Captain Francis Light establishes the British colony of Penang in Malaysia. Read more
- 1685 — Morean War: The 49-day Siege of Coron ends with the surrender and massacre of its garrison by the Venetians. Read more
- 1675 — Franco-Dutch War: Forces of the Holy Roman Empire defeat the French in the Battle of Konzer Brücke. Read more
- 1492 — Rodrigo de Borja is elected as Head of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Alexander VI. Read more
- 1473 — The Battle of Otlukbeli: Mehmed the Conqueror of the Ottoman Empire decisively defeats Uzun Hassan of Aq Qoyunlu. Read more
- 1332 — Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Dupplin Moor: Scots under Domhnall II, Earl of Mar are routed by Edward Balliol. Read more
- 1315 — The Great Famine of Europe becomes so dire that even the king of England has difficulties buying bread for himself and his entourage. Read more
- 923 — The Qarmatians of Bahrayn capture and pillage the city of Basra. Read more
- 490 — Battle of Adda: The Goths under Theodoric the Great and his ally Alaric II defeat the forces of Odoacer on the Adda River, near Milan. Read more
- 355 — Claudius Silvanus, accused of treason, proclaims himself Roman Emperor against Constantius II. Read more
- 117 — Hadrian is proclaimed Roman emperor, two days after Trajan's death. Read more
- 106 — The south-western part of Dacia (modern Romania) becomes a Roman province: Roman Dacia. Read more
- 2492 BC — Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation. Read more
- 3114 BC — The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, used by several pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, notably the Maya, begins. Read more
Born on August 11
- 2002 — Marvin Harrison Jr., American football player Read more
- 2001 — Moyuka Uchijima, Japanese tennis player Read more
- 1999 — Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Indonesian badminton player Read more
- 1999 — Changbin, South Korean rapper Read more
- 1997 — Sarah Clelland, Scottish footballer Read more
- 1995 — Brad Binder, South African motorcycle racer Read more
- 1994 — Storm Sanders, Australian tennis player Read more
- 1994 — Anton Cooper, New Zealand cross-country cyclist Read more
- 1994 — Joseph Barbato, French footballer Read more
- 1994 — Song I-han, South Korean singer Read more
- 1993 — Alyson Stoner, American actor, singer, and dancer Read more
- 1992 — Tomi Lahren, American conservative political commentator Read more
- 1991 — Cristian Tello, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1990 — Lenka Juríková, Slovak tennis player Read more
- 1989 — Junior Heffernan, Irish cyclist and triathlete (died 2013) Read more
- 1989 — Sebastian Huke, German footballer Read more
- 1988 — Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Filipino basketball player Read more
- 1988 — Patty Mills, Australian basketball player Read more
- 1988 — Mustafa Pektemek, Turkish footballer Read more
- 1987 — Dany N'Guessan, French footballer Read more
- 1987 — Drew Storen, American baseball player Read more
- 1986 — Mokhtar Benmoussa, Algerian footballer Read more
- 1986 — Hélène Defrance, French sailor Read more
- 1986 — Pablo Sandoval, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Jacqueline Fernandez, Bahraini–Sri Lankan actress Read more
- 1985 — Asher Roth, American rapper Read more
- 1984 — Mojtaba Abedini, Iranian Olympic fencer Read more
- 1984 — Melky Cabrera, Dominican baseball player Read more
- 1984 — Lucas di Grassi, Brazilian race car driver Read more
- 1983 — Chris Hemsworth, Australian actor Read more
- 1983 — Luke Lewis, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1983 — Pavel 183, Russian painter (died 2013) Read more
- 1982 — Andy Lee, American football player Read more
- 1981 — Daniel Poohl, Swedish journalist Read more
- 1980 — Daniel Lloyd, English cyclist and sportscaster Read more
- 1980 — Lee Suggs, American football player Read more
- 1979 — Walter Ayoví, Ecuadorian footballer Read more
- 1978 — Spyros Gogolos, Greek footballer Read more
- 1978 — Charlotte Leslie, British politician Read more
- 1978 — Lillian Nakate, Ugandan politician Read more
Died on August 11
- 2025 — Miguel Uribe Turbay, Colombian precandidate to presidency (born 1986) Read more
- 2025 — Danielle Spencer, American actress (born 1965) Read more
- 2024 — Ángel Salazar, Cuban-American comedian and actor (born 1956) Read more
- 2024 — Noël Treanor, Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1950) Read more
- 2023 — Mike Ahern, Australian politician, 32nd Premier of Queensland (born 1942) Read more
- 2022 — Anne Heche, American actress (born 1969) Read more
- 2022 — Hanae Mori, Japanese fashion designer (born 1926) Read more
- 2020 — Trini Lopez, American singer and guitarist (born 1937) Read more
- 2020 — Sumner Redstone, American billionaire businessman (born 1923) Read more
- 2019 — Sergio Obeso Rivera, Mexican Roman Catholic cardinal (born 1931) Read more
- 2018 — V S Naipaul, British writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1932) Read more
- 2018 — Terry A. Davis, American computer programmer, creator of TempleOS (born 1969) Read more
- 2017 — Yisrael Kristal, Polish-Israeli supercentenarian; oldest living Holocaust survivor and one of the ten oldest men ever (born 1903) Read more
- 2017 — Segun Bucknor, Nigerian musician and journalist (born 1946) Read more
- 2015 — Serge Collot, French viola player and educator (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — Harald Nielsen, Danish footballer and manager (born 1941) Read more
- 2015 — Richard Oriani, Salvadoran-American metallurgist and engineer (born 1920) Read more
- 2014 — Vladimir Beara, Croatian footballer and manager (born 1928) Read more
- 2014 — Raymond Gravel, Canadian priest and politician (born 1952) Read more
- 2014 — Kika Szaszkiewiczowa, Polish author and blogger (born 1917) Read more
- 2014 — Robin Williams, American actor and comedian (born 1951) Read more
- 2014 — Sam Hall, American diver, legislator, and mercenary (born 1937) Read more
- 2013 — Raymond Delisle, French cyclist (born 1943) Read more
- 2013 — Zafar Futehally, Indian ornithologist and author (born 1919) Read more
- 2013 — David Howard, English ballet dancer and educator (born 1937) Read more
- 2012 — Red Bastien, American wrestler, trainer, and promoter (born 1931) Read more
- 2012 — Michael Dokes, American boxer (born 1958) Read more
- 2012 — Lucy Gallardo, Argentinian-Mexican actress and screenwriter (born 1929) Read more
- 2012 — Sid Waddell, British Sports commentator, television presenter, producer, writer & director (born 1940) Read more
- 2010 — James Mourilyan Tanner, British paediatric endocrinologist (born 1920) Read more
- 2009 — Eunice Kennedy Shriver, American activist, founded the Special Olympics (born 1921) Read more
- 2008 — George Furth, American actor and playwright (born 1932) Read more
- 2008 — Dursun Karataş, founding leader of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party–Front (DHKP-C) in Turkey (born 1952) Read more
- 2006 — Mike Douglas, American singer and talk show host (born 1920) Read more
- 2003 — Armand Borel, Swiss-American mathematician and academic (born 1923) Read more
- 2003 — Herb Brooks, American ice hockey player and coach (born 1937) Read more
- 2002 — Galen Rowell, American photographer and mountaineer (born 1940) Read more
- 2001 — Percy Stallard, English cyclist and coach (born 1909) Read more
- 2000 — Jean Papineau-Couture, Canadian composer and academic (born 1916) Read more
- 1996 — Rafael Kubelík, Czech conductor and composer (born 1914) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian Feast Day:
Athracht; Christian Feast Day:
Clare of Assisi; Christian Feast Day:
Gaugericus; Christian Feast Day:
John Henry Newman (Church of England); Christian Feast Day:
Blessed John Sandys and Stephen Rowsham; Christian Feast Day:
Blessed Maurice Tornay; Christian Feast Day:
Philomena; Christian Feast Day:
Susanna; Christian Feast Day:
Taurinus of Évreux; Christian Feast Day:
Tiburtius and Chromatius; Christian Feast Day:
August 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Flag Day (Pakistan); Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Chad from France in 1960.; Mountain Day (Japan)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “August 11”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.