On This Day in History
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Learn what happened on this day in history. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths for any date, all sourced from Wikipedia.
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What Happened On This Day in History
Find out what happened on this day in history through today's featured event, latest article, famous birthday, notable death, holidays and observances, your birthday in history, and this month in history. Each card opens the complete history page.
How did the Geneva Accords partition Vietnam?
In accord with the 1954 Geneva Conference, French troops completed their withdrawal from North Vietnam, finalizing the partition of the country…
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Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert Charlton was an English professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, left winger or centre-forward.
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Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a Scottish statesman and politician who served as the first first minister of Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000 and leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 1998 until his death in 2000.
See Died Today
Holidays and Observances Today
National and international holidays on October 11, including International Day of the Girl Child.
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What Happened on Your Birthday?
Enter your birth date to see the events, famous birthdays and holidays of your birthday.
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October in History
Major events, famous birthdays and holidays of October, day by day.
See October in HistoryDaily History Challenge
Put Today's Events in Order
Four events that happened on this day, in four different years. Tap them from the oldest to the newest, you have three tries, then share your result. A new puzzle every day.
Play Today's ChallengeHolidays and Observances Today
International days, national holidays and religious feast days that fall on today's date. Each card opens the holiday in the full holidays calendar. See all 22 holidays today.
International Day of the Girl Child
International observance, 11th of October
Read moreInternational Newspaper Carrier Day
International Newspaper Carrier Day is an annual observance created by the Newspaper Association of America and celebrated in October. The day is scheduled…
Read moreGeneral Pulaski Memorial Day (United States)
American public holiday
Read moreChristian feast days: Andronicus, Probus, and Tarachus (Roman Catholic Church)
Fourth-century Christian martyrs
Read moreChristian feast days: Æthelburh of Barking
7th-century Anglo-Saxon abbess
Read moreChristian feast days: Bruno the Great
Archbishop of Cologne; Lotharingian Duke (925–965)
Read moreChristian feast days: Cainnech of Aghaboe
Irish abbot and saint (c. 515 – 600)
Read moreChristian feast days: Gratus of Oloron
Saint Gratus of Oloron was the first bishop of Oloron. He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church.
Read moreChristian feast days: James the Deacon (Church of England, Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church)
7th- and 8th-century missionary to Britain and saint
Read moreChristian feast days: Maria Soledad Torres y Acosta
Spanish Roman Catholic professed religious
Read moreChristian feast days: Nicasius, Quirinus, Scubiculus, and Pientia
Catholic martyrs and saints
Read moreChristian feast days: Pope John XXIII (Roman Catholic Church)
Head of the Catholic Church from 1958 to 1963
Read moreChristian feast days: Radim Gaudentius
Polish archbishop (c. 970 – c. 1020)
Read moreChristian feast days: October 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar
Read moreWhat Happened This Month
October in History
See what happened in October in history, from the battles, treaties and discoveries that shaped the world to the famous October birthdays and holidays, with a page for every day of the month.
See October in HistoryOn This Day in History Articles
A new history article is published every day covering one significant event from the past. Each post explores the causes, key figures, immediate impact, and the legacy that still resonates in the world today.
How did the Geneva Accords partition Vietnam?
In accord with the 1954 Geneva Conference, French troops completed their withdrawal from North Vietnam, finalizing the partition of the country…
Read More
How did the 1963 treaty ban atmospheric nuclear tests?
The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty formally entered into force, prohibiting nuclear detonations in the atmosphere, outer space, and under water.
Read More
What Happened at the Battle of Angamos in 1879?
On 8 October 1879 the Chilean Navy, under Riveros and Latorre, crushed the Peruvian monitor Huáscar at Punta Angamos, securing naval dominance for Chile…
Read More
How was asteroid 2008 TC3 detected before it hit Earth?
On October 7, 2008, the 4.1‑meter asteroid 2008 TC3 entered Earth’s atmosphere over Sudan, exploding 37 km above the desert after being spotted a day…
Read More
How did Annie Ernaux become the first French Nobel laureate?
The Swedish Academy announced Annie Ernaux as the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, citing her clinical acuity in uncovering personal memory.
Read More
How did drug gangs kill 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong?
Two Chinese cargo ships were hijacked on the Mekong River in the Golden Triangle.
Read More
How did Yeltsin's army end the 1993 Russian crisis?
On October 4, 1993, the Russian army shelled the White House with tanks and stormed the building to arrest lawmakers resisting President Yeltsin.
Read More
How did Wab Kinew become the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province?
Wab Kinew led the NDP to a majority government in the 2023 Manitoba election, becoming the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province.
Read MoreOur blog
Explore the Blog
A new history article every day covering one major event, with sourced facts and key figures behind it.
Visit the BlogHistory in 60 Seconds
Short videos covering one significant historical event each, told through archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day alongside the daily article.
What Happened at the Battle of Angamos in 1879?
On 8 October 1879 the Chilean Navy, under Riveros and Latorre, crushed the Peruvian mon...
Watch
How was asteroid 2008 TC3 detected before it hit Earth?
On October 7, 2008, the 4.1‑meter asteroid 2008 TC3 entered Earth’s atmosphere over Sud...
Watch
How did drug gangs kill 13 Chinese sailors on the Me...
Two Chinese cargo ships were hijacked on the Mekong River in the Golden Triangle.
Watch
How did Mexico suppress students before the 1968 Oly...
Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz ordered soldiers to suppress unarmed student demon...
Watch
How did Spain swap Louisiana for Tuscany in 1800?
A secret agreement signed on October 1, 1800, in which Spain agreed to exchange its Nor...
Watch
How did a deliberate crash decide the 2008 Singapore...
Fernando Alonso won the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Formula One's first night race, afte...
Watch
How did Congress define Sequoia National Park's 1890...
On September 25, 1890, the U.S. Congress established Sequoia National Park in the south...
Watch
How did fuel subsidy removal trigger the Saffron Rev...
Buddhist monks and students led nonviolent protests in Yangon after fuel prices surged ...
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Watch Short History Videos
Historical events told through archival imagery and narration, daily.
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Explore History by Date
Click any date on the calendar to browse historical events, famous birthdays, and notable deaths from that day. Move between months to explore thousands of years of recorded history.
October
On This Day, October 11
- 2018: Soyuz MS-10, launching an intended crew for the ISS, suffers an in-flight abort. The crew lands safely.
- 2013: A migrant boat sinks in the Channel of Sicily, with at least 359 people drowning.
- 2002: A bomb attack in a Myyrmanni shopping mall in Vantaa, Finland kills seven.
- 2001: The Polaroid Corporation files for federal bankruptcy protection.
- 2000: NASA launches STS-92, the 100th Space Shuttle mission.
thisDay.info is a free historical events calendar where you can explore what happened on any date in history. It covers wars, discoveries, natural disasters, famous birthdays and deaths, and landmark moments in world history, all sourced from Wikipedia.
Every day a new article is published covering one significant historical event from that calendar date. Each article includes background context, key figures, a Did You Know section, a Quick Facts block, and an analysis of the lasting impact on the world. A short quiz at the end lets you test what you have learned.
All historical events, birthdays, and deaths are sourced from Wikipedia's On This Day archives. Wikipedia is one of the most thorough and regularly updated references for world history, covering events from ancient civilizations right through to the present day on every continent.
Yes. Use the calendar on this page to go to any date of the year. Clicking a date opens a page listing everything notable that happened on that day in history, from ancient times right through to recent decades.
History in 60 Seconds is a short video series published on YouTube Shorts. Each video tells the story of one historical event using archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day so you can keep up with this day in history wherever you are.
A new article and a new video are published every single day. The events calendar is always current with today's On This Day data from Wikipedia. Famous birthdays and notable deaths for the current date load every time you visit the site.
Yes, thisDay.info is completely free. There is no account, no subscription, and no paywall. Every article, video, event listing, and the full historical calendar are open to everyone and will stay that way.
Yes. Every date page includes a list of notable people born or who died on that day, with links to their Wikipedia biographies. You can also browse person pages on thisDay.info to read about the historical figures who appear in our daily articles.
thisDay.info covers all major topics in world history including wars and conflicts, political revolutions, scientific discoveries, space exploration, natural disasters, cultural milestones, and sporting achievements. Events range from ancient history through to the 21st century, covering every part of the world.
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