11 May

May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 234 days remain until the end of the year.

We have some interesting facts & historic events all about May 11th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.

Keep reading for more interesting facts about May 11th in history!

Table of Contents

  1. Global Celebrations
  2. Historic Events
  3. Famous Birthdays
  4. Heartbreaking Deaths

Global Celebrations

  • World Plumbing Day.
  • World Ego Awareness Day.
  • National Twilight Zone Day
  • National Eat What You Want Day
  • Donate A Day’s Wages To Charity Day
  • National Root Canal Appreciation Day
  • National Receptionists Day
  • School Nurse Day
  • National Third Shift Workers Day

Historic Events

What Happened On This Day – May 11

2000: India’s population officially reached 1 billion in 2000.

1998: India executes a series of nuclear weapons tests

The detonations raised fears of a nuclear conflict in the area and sparked international protests. On May 13, 1998, India officially declared itself a nuclear power.

1997: IBM’s Deep Blue computer defeated Garry Kasparov in chess in 1997.

1996: ValuJet flight 592 crashes into the Florida Everglades shortly after takeoff

All 110 people on board lost their lives in the crash that was caused by a fire in the cargo compartment.

1985: 56 football fans die in a stadium fire

During a match against Lincoln City, the wooden stands at Valley Parade football ground went up in flames. The exits were locked. A burning cigarette thrown into a waste bin has been determined as the probable cause of the disaster.

1981: The musical Cats is premiered

The piece sparked a musical craze around the world and catapulted the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to stardom.

1956: Ghana becomes the first African nation to give independence from Britain in 1956.

868: The earliest surviving dated printed book is produced in China

The “Diamond Sutra” is one of the most important texts in Mahayana Buddhism. The British Library in London presently houses the copy.

1920: Marie Curie, 1920

Marie Curie, 1920
Marie Curie, 1920

1899: Pluto Lamps. The Victorian Gas Lamps sold hot cups of coffee, tea and cocoa. Inauguration of the first Pluto lamps in Exmouth Street, London 1899.

 Pluto Lamps. The Victorian Gas Lamps sold hot cups of coffee, tea and cocoa. Inauguration of the first Pluto lamps in Exmouth Street, London 1899.
Pluto Lamps. The Victorian Gas Lamps sold hot cups of coffee, tea and cocoa. Inauguration of the first Pluto lamps in Exmouth Street, London 1899.

1897: Recovered photo from the doomed balloon expedition to the North Pole by Salomon Andrée in 1897.

Recovered photo from the doomed balloon expedition to the North Pole by Salomon Andrée in 1897.
Recovered photo from the doomed balloon expedition to the North Pole by Salomon Andrée in 1897.

Famous Birthdays

Births On This Day, May 11

1918: Richard Feynman, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate

1904: Salvador Dalí, Spanish painter

1888: Irving Berlin, American composer

1861: Frederick Russell Burnham, American soldier, adventurer

1838: Walter Goodman, English painter, illustrator, author

1918: Sir Richard Feynman was born

Sir Richard Feynman
Sir Richard Feynman

Salvador Dali was born.

Andres Iniesta was born.

Heartbreaking Deaths

Deaths On This Day, May 11

2001: Douglas Adams, English/American author, playwright

1988: Kim Philby, British spy, Soviet double agent

1981: Bob Marley, Jamaican/American singer-songwriter, guitarist

1778: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

1760: Alaungpaya, Burmese king

Bob Marley died.

Norman Llyod died

Peggy Lipton died.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *