February 11 in history — What Happened Today in History
February 11 in history is full of turning points. This page walks you through what happened on February 11 in history, who was born on February 11 and who passed away on February 11, so nothing about this day slips past you.
On this page, February 11 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about February 11 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on February 11 in History 40
- 2024
2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is elected as the 13th president of Finland.
- 2020
COVID-19 pandemic: The World Health Organization officially names the coronavirus outbreak as COVID-19, with the virus being designated SARS-CoV-2.
- 2018
Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crashes near Moscow, Russia with 71 deaths and no survivors.
- 2017
North Korea test fires a ballistic missile across the Sea of Japan.
- 2016
A man shoots seven people dead at an education center in Jizan Province, Saudi Arabia.
- 2015
A university student is murdered as she resists an attempted rape in Turkey, sparking nationwide protests and public outcry against harassment and violence against women.
- 2015
The European Space Agency's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle is launched on a Vega rocket.
- 2014
A military transport plane crashes in a mountainous area of Oum El Bouaghi Province in eastern Algeria, killing 77 people.
- 2013
The Vatican confirms that Pope Benedict XVI will resign the papacy as a result of his advanced age.
- 2013
Militants claiming to be from the Sultanate of Sulu invade Lahad Datu District, Sabah, Malaysia, beginning the Lahad Datu standoff.
- 2011
Arab Spring: The first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 17 days of protests.
- 2008
Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack.
All entries for February 11（+28）
- 2001
A Dutch programmer launches the Anna Kournikova virus infecting millions of emails via a trick photo of the tennis star.
- 2000
Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on STS-99 to conduct the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission.
- 1999
Pluto crosses Neptune's orbit, ending a nearly 20-year period when it was closer to the Sun than the gas giant; Pluto is not expected to interact with Neptune's orbit again until 2231.
- 1997
Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
- 1997
The far-right extremist Hungarian National Front introduces the day of honor, a neo-nazi and neo-fascist annual gathering in Budapest
- 1990
Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner.
- 1990
Buster Douglas, a 42:1 underdog, knocks out Mike Tyson in ten rounds at Tokyo to win boxing's world Heavyweight title.
- 1979
The Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
- 1978
Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314 crashes at the Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada with 42 deaths and seven survivors.
- 1971
Cold War: The Seabed Arms Control Treaty opens for signature, outlawing nuclear weapons on the ocean floor in international waters.
- 1970
Japan launches Ohsumi, becoming the fourth nation to put an object into orbit using its own booster.
- 1963
The Beatles record their first album, Please Please Me.
- 1959
The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South is created as a protectorate of the United Kingdom.
- 1953
Cold War: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower denies all appeals for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
- 1953
Israeli-Soviet relations are severed.
- 1946
The New Testament of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the first significant challenge to the Authorized King James Version, is published.
- 1942
World War II: Second day of the Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore.
- 1938
BBC Television produces the world's first ever science fiction television programme, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Čapek play R.U.R. that coined the term "robot".
- 1937
The Flint sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers trade union.
- 1933
LAPD Red Squad raid on John Reed Club art show in the U.S. results in the destruction of a dozen political artworks.
- 1929
The Kingdom of Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
- 1919
Friedrich Ebert (SPD) is elected President of Germany.
- 1906
Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer Nos.
- 1903
Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna, Austria.
- 1889
The Meiji Constitution of Japan is adopted.
- 1873
King Amadeo I of Spain abdicates, triggering the proclamation of the First Spanish Republic.
- 1861
American Civil War: The United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
- 1858
Bernadette Soubirous's first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary occurs in Lourdes, France.
Famous Birthdays on February 11 in History 25
- 2002
Liam Lawson, New Zealand racing driver
- 2001
Bryan Gil, Spanish footballer
- 2000
Nassir Little, American basketball player
- 1998
Trent Frederic, American ice hockey player
- 1998
Josh Jacobs, American football player
- 1998
Khalid, American singer and songwriter
- 1997
Damien Harris, American football player
- 1997
Mike Hughes, American football player
- 1997
Hubert Hurkacz, Polish tennis player
- 1997
Rosé, New Zealand-South Korean singer and dancer
- 1997
Zavier Simpson, American basketball player
- 1996
Daniil Medvedev, Russian tennis player
All entries for February 11（+13）
- 1996
Jonathan Tah, German footballer
- 1996
Lucas Torreira, Uruguayan footballer
- 1995
Milan Škriniar, Slovak footballer
- 1995
Rick Karsdorp, Dutch footballer
- 1994
Dansby Swanson, American baseball player
- 1993
Ben McLemore, American basketball player
- 1992
Lasse Norman Hansen, Danish track and road cyclist
- 1992
Taylor Lautner, American actor
- 1992
Jake Matthews, American football player
- 1991
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Canadian football player and medical doctor
- 1991
Nikola Mirotic, Spanish basketball player
- 1990
Javier Aquino, Mexican footballer
- 1990
Q'orianka Kilcher, German-American actress
Notable Deaths on February 11 in History 25
- 2026
James Van Der Beek, American actor (born 1977)
- 2025
Betsy Arakawa, American classical pianist (born 1959)
- 2025
Moses Lim, Singaporean actor (born 1949)
- 2024
Allen J. Bard, American chemist (born 1933)
- 2024
Kelvin Kiptum, African long-distance runner(born 1999)
- 2023
Donald Spoto, American biographer (born 1941)
- 2018
Vic Damone, American singer, songwriter and actor (born 1928)
- 2018
Asma Jahangir, Pakistani human-rights lawyer and social activist (born 1952)
- 2018
Jan Maxwell, American stage and television actress (born 1956)
- 2018
Qazi Wajid, Pakistani drama actor, writer and artist (born 1930)
- 2017
Fab Melo, Brazilian basketball player (born 1990)
- 2017
Jaap Rijks, Dutch Olympian (born 1919)
All entries for February 11（+13）
- 2017
Trish Doan, Korean-Canadian musician (born 1985)
- 2016
Kevin Randleman, American mixed martial artist and wrestler (born 1971)
- 2016
Zeng Xuelin, Thai-Chinese footballer and manager (born 1929)
- 2015
Roger Hanin, French actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1925)
- 2015
Bob Simon, American journalist (born 1941)
- 2015
Jerry Tarkanian, American basketball player and coach (born 1930)
- 2014
Alice Babs, Swedish singer and actress (born 1924)
- 2014
Tito Canepa, Dominican-American painter (born 1916)
- 2014
Fernando González Pacheco, Colombian journalist and actor (born 1932)
- 2013
Rick Huxley, English bass player (born 1940)
- 2012
Siri Bjerke, Norwegian politician, Norwegian Minister of the Environment (born 1958)
- 2012
Aharon Davidi, Israeli general (born 1927)
- 2012
Whitney Houston, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress (born 1963)
That is the story of February 11 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on February 11 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on February 11 in history?
The biggest event on February 11 in history is: 2024 — 2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is elected as the 13th president of Finland.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on February 11?
25 famous people were born on February 11 in history, the best known being 2002 — Liam Lawson, New Zealand racing driver.
Who died on February 11?
25 notable people died on February 11 in history, including 2026 — James Van Der Beek, American actor (born 1977).
Why should I read about February 11 in history?
Exploring February 11 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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