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On This Day in History — May 11
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Highlights of May 11
- 2022 — Myanmar civil war: Government troops killed 37 unarmed civilians in Mondaingbin. Read more
- 2022 — Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while reporting on an Israel Defense Forces raid on the Jenin refugee camp. Read more
- 2013 — Two car bombs by unknown perpetrators exploded in Reyhanlı, Turkey, resulting in 52 killed and 140 injured. Read more
- 2011 — An earthquake registering Mw 5.1, the worst to hit the region for more than 50 years, struck near Lorca, Spain. Read more
- 2010 — David Cameron took office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats formed the country's first coalition government since the Second World War. Read more
- 2010 — Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party after failing to strike a coalition agreement with the Liberal Democrats. Read more
- 1998 — India began the Pokhran-II nuclear-weapons test, its first since the Smiling Buddha test 24 years earlier. Read more
- 1997 — Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in six games to become the first chess computer to win a match against a world champion. Read more
- 1981 — Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats (performers pictured), opened at the New London Theatre. Read more
- 1970 — Lubbock, Texas, was struck by a tornado that left 26 people dead. Read more
- 1963 — African Americans rioted in Birmingham, Alabama, in response to two bombings, perceiving local police to be complicit with the perpetrators. Read more
- 1928 — After a week-long standoff punctuated by military clashes, Japanese forces captured the city of Jinan, Shandong in China. Read more
- 1910 — Glacier National Park was established in the U.S. state of Montana. Read more
- 1894 — In response to a 28-percent wage cut, 4,000 Pullman Palace Car Company workers went on strike in Illinois, bringing rail traffic west of Chicago to a halt. Read more
- 1889 — Bandits attacked a U.S. Army paymaster's escort in the Arizona Territory, stealing more than $28,000. Read more
- 1880 — A land dispute between the Southern Pacific Railroad and settlers in Hanford, California, turned deadly when a gun battle broke out, leaving seven dead. Read more
- 1858 — Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted as the 32nd U.S. state. Read more
- 1820 — HMS Beagle (pictured), the ship that would take Charles Darwin on his voyage, was launched. Read more
- 1813 — William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth departed westward from Sydney on an expedition to become the first confirmed Europeans to cross the Blue Mountains. Read more
- 1812 — Spencer Perceval was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons, becoming the only British prime minister to be assassinated. Read more
- 1745 — War of the Austrian Succession: French forces defeated those of the Pragmatic Allies at the Battle of Fontenoy in the Austrian Netherlands in present-day Belgium. Read more
- 868 — A copy of the Diamond Sutra was printed in Tang-dynasty China, making it the world's oldest dated printed book. Read more
Events
- 2024 — Start/Middle of the May 2024 Solar Storms, the most powerful set of geomagnetic storms since the 2003 Halloween solar storms. Read more
- 2024 — The 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is held in Malmö, Sweden. Nemo from Switzerland win with their song "The Code", making them the contest's first non-binary winner. Read more
- 2022 — The Burmese military executes at least 37 villagers during the Mon Taing Pin massacre in Sagaing, Myanmar. Read more
- 2022 — Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is killed while covering a raid in Jenin. Israel eventually admitted and apologized for the murder, after initial denials. Read more
- 2016 — One hundred and ten people are killed in an ISIL bombing in Baghdad. Read more
- 2014 — Fifteen people are killed and 46 injured in Kinshasa, DRC, in a stampede caused by tear gas being thrown into soccer stands by police officers. Read more
- 2013 — Fifty-two people are killed in a bombing in Reyhanlı, Turkey. Read more
- 2011 — An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hits Lorca, Spain. Read more
- 2011 — The Istanbul Convention is signed in Istanbul, Turkey. Read more
- 2010 — David Cameron takes office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats form the country's first coalition government since the Second World War. Read more
- 2009 — An American soldier in Iraq opens fire on a counseling center at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, killing five other US soldiers and wounding three. Read more
- 2009 — Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on the final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Read more
- 2000 — Second Chechen War: Chechen separatists ambush Russian paramilitary forces in the Republic of Ingushetia. Read more
- 1998 — India conducts three underground atomic tests in Pokhran. Read more
- 1997 — Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format. Read more
- 1996 — After the aircraft's departure from Miami, a fire started by improperly handled chemical oxygen generators in the cargo hold of Atlanta-bound ValuJet Airlines Flight 592 causes the Douglas DC-9 to crash in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 on board. Read more
- 1987 — Klaus Barbie goes on trial in Lyon for war crimes committed during World War II. Read more
- 1985 — Fifty-six spectators die and more than 200 are injured in the Bradford City stadium fire. Read more
- 1973 — Citing government misconduct, Daniel Ellsberg's charges for his involvement in releasing the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times are dismissed. Read more
- 1973 — Aeroflot Flight 6551 crashes in Semey, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (now Kazakhstan), killing all 63 aboard. Read more
- 1970 — The 1970 Lubbock tornado kills 26 and causes $250 million in damage. Read more
- 1953 — In the deadliest of a series of tornadoes, an F5 tornado kills 114 in Waco, Texas. Read more
- 1919 — Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty. Read more
- 1894 — Four thousand Pullman Palace Car Company workers go on a wildcat strike. Read more
- 1889 — An attack upon a U.S. Army paymaster and escort results in the theft of over $28,000 and the award of two Medals of Honor. Read more
- 1880 — Seven people are killed in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a gun battle in California. Read more
- 1878 — Hödel assassination attempt by anarchist Max Hödel targeting the German Kaiser, Wilhelm I. Read more
- 1858 — Minnesota becomes the 32nd U.S. state. Read more
- 1857 — Indian Rebellion of 1857: Indian rebels seize Delhi from the British. Read more
- 1813 — William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth discover a route across the Blue Mountains, opening up inland Australia to settlement. Read more
- 1812 — Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons. Read more
- 1713 — Great Northern War: After losing the Battle of Helsinki to the Russians, the Swedish and Finnish troops burn the entire city, so that it would not remain intact in the hands of the Russians. Read more
- 1560 — The Ottoman naval forces inflict a defeat on a Spanish fleet in the battle of Djerba. This marks the highpoint of Ottoman naval dominance in the Mediterranean, which starts declining five years later after the failed siege of Malta. Read more
- 1258 — Louis IX of France and James I of Aragon sign the Treaty of Corbeil, renouncing claims of feudal overlordship in one another's territories and separating the House of Barcelona from the politics of France. Read more
- 1068 — Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror, is crowned Queen of England. Read more
- 973 — In the first coronation ceremony ever held for an English monarch, Edgar the Peaceful is crowned King of England, having ruled since 959 AD. His wife, Ælfthryth, is crowned queen, the first recorded coronation for a Queen of England. Read more
- 868 — A copy of the Diamond Sūtra is published, the earliest dated and printed book known. Read more
- 330 — Constantine the Great dedicates the much-expanded and rebuilt city of Byzantium, changing its name to New Rome and declaring it the new capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Read more
Born on May 11
- 2006 — Konsta Helenius, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
- 2003 — Fermín López, Spanish footballer Read more
- 2000 — Yūki Tsunoda, Japanese racing driver Read more
- 2000 — Wang Chuqin, Chinese table tennis player Read more
- 1999 — Sabrina Carpenter, American singer and actress Read more
- 1998 — Viktória Kužmová, Slovak tennis player Read more
- 1997 — Coi Leray, American rapper and singer Read more
- 1997 — Lana Condor, American actress Read more
- 1996 — Adin Hill, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1995 — Gelson Martins, Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1995 — Sachia Vickery, American tennis player Read more
- 1995 — Shira Haas, Israeli actress Read more
- 1994 — Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopian runner Read more
- 1994 — Nene Macdonald, Papua New Guinean rugby league player Read more
- 1993 — Maurice Harkless, American-Puerto Rican basketball player Read more
- 1993 — Miguel Sanó, Dominican baseball player Read more
- 1992 — Thibaut Courtois, Belgian footballer Read more
- 1992 — Pablo Sarabia, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1992 — Bryan Rust, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1992 — Bobi, Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo, oldest recorded dog (died 2023) Read more
- 1989 — Giovani dos Santos, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1989 — Cam Newton, American football player Read more
- 1988 — Jeremy Maclin, American football player Read more
- 1988 — Brad Marchand, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1987 — Lim Seul-ong, South Korean singer and actor Read more
- 1986 — Abou Diaby, French footballer Read more
- 1986 — Miguel Veloso, Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1985 — Beau Ryan, Australian rugby league player and television host Read more
- 1984 — Andrés Iniesta, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1983 — Matt Leinart, American football player Read more
- 1983 — Steven Sotloff, American-Israeli journalist (died 2014) Read more
- 1983 — Holly Valance, Australian actress, singer and model Read more
- 1982 — Cory Monteith, Canadian actor and singer (died 2013) Read more
- 1981 — Lauren Jackson, Australian basketball player Read more
- 1981 — JP Karliak, American actor, voice actor and comedian Read more
- 1978 — Laetitia Casta, French model and actress Read more
- 1978 — Judy Ann Santos, Filipino actress Read more
- 1977 — Pablo Gabriel García, Uruguayan footballer Read more
- 1977 — Victor Matfield, South African rugby player, coach, and sportscaster Read more
- 1977 — Bobby Roode, Canadian professional wrestler Read more
Died on May 11
- 2026 — Brandon Clarke, Canadian-American basketball player (born 1996) Read more
- 2024 — Susan Backlinie, American actress and stuntwoman (born 1946) Read more
- 2021 — Norman Lloyd, American actor, producer and director (born 1914) Read more
- 2020 — Jerry Stiller, American comedian, actor (born 1927) Read more
- 2019 — Peggy Lipton, American actress, model, and singer (born 1946) Read more
- 2019 — Thomas Silverstein, American murderer (born 1952) Read more
- 2011 — Robert Traylor, American basketball player (born 1977) Read more
- 2010 — Doris Eaton Travis, American dancer and vaudevillian (born 1904) Read more
- 2009 — Abel Goumba, Central African physician and politician, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (born 1926) Read more
- 2009 — Claudio Huepe, Chilean economist and politician, Chilean Minister Secretary-General of Government (born 1939) Read more
- 2009 — Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda, Indian admiral (born 1915) Read more
- 2008 — John Rutsey, Canadian drummer (born 1953) Read more
- 2007 — Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoan ruler (born 1913) Read more
- 2006 — Floyd Patterson, American boxer and actor (born 1935) Read more
- 2005 — Léo Cadieux, Canadian politician, 17th Canadian Minister of National Defence (born 1908) Read more
- 2005 — Horton Davies, Welsh minister and historian (born 1916) Read more
- 2003 — Noel Redding, English bass player (born 1945) Read more
- 2002 — Renaude Lapointe, Canadian journalist and politician (born 1912) Read more
- 2002 — Bill Peet, American animator and screenwriter (born 1915) Read more
- 2001 — Douglas Adams, English novelist and screenwriter (born 1952) Read more
- 1994 — Timothy Carey, American actor, director, and producer (born 1928) Read more
- 1991 — Ulyana Barkova, Russian farm worker (born 1906) Read more
- 1990 — Stratos Dionysiou, Greek Singer, composer and lyricist (born 1935) Read more
- 1988 — Kim Philby, British-Soviet double agent (born 1912) Read more
- 1987 — James Jesus Angleton, CIA counterintelligence leader (born 1917) Read more
- 1986 — Fritz Pollard, American football player and coach (born 1894) Read more
- 1985 — Chester Gould, American cartoonist, created Dick Tracy (born 1900) Read more
- 1983 — Zenna Henderson, American writer (born 1917) Read more
- 1981 — Odd Hassel, Norwegian chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1897) Read more
- 1981 — Bob Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1945) Read more
- 1980 — Dyre Vaa, Norwegian sculptor and painter (born 1903) Read more
- 1979 — Lester Flatt, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1914) Read more
- 1967 — James E. Brewton, American painter (born 1930) Read more
- 1964 — Janne Mustonen, Finnish politician (born 1901) Read more
- 1963 — Herbert Spencer Gasser, American physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1888): 169 Read more
- 1960 — John D. Rockefeller Jr., American businessman and philanthropist (born 1874) Read more
- 1955 — Gilbert Jessop, English cricketer (born 1874) Read more
- 1946 — Seán McCaughey, Irish Republican, died on hunger strike (born 1915) Read more
- 1938 — George Lyon, Canadian golfer and cricketer (born 1858) Read more
- 1929 — Jozef Murgaš, Slovak-American priest, architect, botanist, and painter (born 1864) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Anthimus of Rome; Christian feast day:
Gangulphus of Burgundy; Christian feast day:
Blessed John Rochester; Christian feast day:
Ignatius of Laconi; Christian feast day:
Majolus of Cluny; Christian feast day:
Mamertus, the first of the Ice Saints
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “May 11”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.