Who are famous people born on July 11?

Famous people born on July 11 include: Amad, Ryan Rolison, Alessia Cara.

What famous people died on July 11?

Notable historical figures who died on July 11 include: Martin Cruz Smith, Shelley Duvall, Monte Kiffin.

July 11 in History

Q: What happened on July 11 in history?

On July 11, 2011: Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus.

2011 — Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus

July 11 spans 67 recorded events across recorded history — from 813 – 2021. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.

By thisDay.info Editorial Team · July 11 — Wikipedia

Historical Events 67 events 813 – 2021

Did you know

In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.

Did you know

On 11 July 2011, at Evangelos Florakis Naval Base, situated at Mari, Larnaca District in Cyprus, a large amount of ammunition and military explosives self-detonated, killing 13 people, including the Commander of the Cyprus Navy, Andreas Ioannides, the base commander, Lambros Lambrou, and six firefighters. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

Did you know

So intense was the explosion that debris was blown as far as 3km from the base. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.

Did you know

The explosion was the worst peacetime military accident ever recorded in Cyprus, with a yield of approximately 481 tons TNT equivalent, as determined by the official investigation into the accident. This shows how the event shaped policy and public communication in the same period.

Did you know

It was the largest artificial non-nuclear explosion of the 21st century until the 2020 Beirut explosions. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius).

Byzantine emperor from 811 to 813

Michael I Rangabe was Byzantine emperor from 811 to 813. A courtier of Emperor Nikephoros I, he survived the disastrous campaign against the Bulgars and was preferred as imperial successor over Staurakios, who was severely injured. He was proclaimed emperor by Patriarch Nicephorus I of Constantinople on 2 October 811.

813

Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy.

Calendar year

911 (CMXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.

911

Baldwin IV, 13, becomes King of Jerusalem, with Raymond III, Count of Tripoli as regent and William of Tyre as chancellor.

King of Jerusalem from 1174 to 1185

Baldwin IV (1161–1185), known as the Leper King, was the king of Jerusalem from 1174 until his death in 1185. Baldwin ascended to the throne when he was thirteen despite having leprosy. He launched several attempts to curb the increasing power of the Muslim ruler Saladin, though much of his life was marked by infighting amongst the kingdom's nobles. Throughout his reign, and especially at the end of his life, he was troubled by his succession, working to select a suitable heir and prevent a succession crisis. Choosing competent advisers, Baldwin ruled a thriving crusader state, protecting it from Saladin.

1174

Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch): A coalition around the Flemish cities defeats the king of France's royal army.

1302 battle of the Franco-Flemish War

The Battle of the Golden Spurs or 1302 Battle of Courtrai was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the 1297–1305 Franco-Flemish War. It took place near the town of Kortrijk in modern-day Belgium and resulted in an unexpected victory for the Flemish.

1302

Charles IV, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, is elected King of the Romans.

Holy Roman Emperor from 1355 to 1378

Charles IV was Holy Roman Emperor from 1355 until his death in 1378. He was elected King of Germany in 1346 and became King of Bohemia that same year. He was a member of the House of Luxembourg from his father's side and the Bohemian House of Přemyslid from his mother's side; he emphasized the latter due to his lifelong affinity for the Bohemian side of his inheritance, and also because his direct ancestors in the Přemyslid line included two saints.

1346

Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time.

Imperial dynasty of China (1368–1644)

The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, the majority ethnic group in China. Although the primary capital of Beijing fell in 1644 to a rebellion led by Li Zicheng, numerous rump regimes ruled by remnants of the Ming imperial family, collectively called the Southern Ming, survived until 1662.

1405

Ottoman Interregnum: Süleyman Çelebi defeats his brother Musa Çelebi outside the Ottoman capital, Edirne.

Civil war in the early 15th century Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Interregnum, or Ottoman Civil War, was a civil war in the Ottoman realm between the sons of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I following their father's defeat and capture by Timur in the Battle of Ankara on 28 July 1402. Although Timur confirmed Mehmed Çelebi as sultan, Mehmed's brothers refused to recognize his authority, each claiming the throne for himself, which resulted in civil war. The Interregnum would last a little under 11 years and culminate in the Battle of Çamurlu on 5 July 1413, when Mehmed Çelebi emerged as victor, crowned himself Sultan Mehmed I, and restored the empire.

1410

Giuliano della Rovere is appointed bishop of Coutances.

Head of the Catholic Church from 1503 to 1513

Pope Julius II was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513.

1476

While exploring the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Martin Frobisher sights Greenland, mistaking it for the hypothesized (but non-existent) island of "Frisland".

Oceanic division

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about 85,133,000 square kilometers (32,870,000 sq mi). It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for separating the New World of the Americas from the Old World of Afro-Eurasia.

1576

Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec.

French explorer of North America (1574–1635)

Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer, navigator, cartographer, soldier, geographer, diplomat, and chronicler who founded Quebec City and established New France as a permanent French colony in North America.

1616

Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979.

Small planetary-mass object

A dwarf planet is a small planetary-mass object that is in direct orbit around the Sun, massive enough to be gravitationally rounded, but insufficient to achieve orbital dominance like the eight classical planets of the Solar System. The prototypical dwarf planet is Pluto, which for decades was regarded as a planet before the "dwarf" concept was adopted in 2006. Many planetary geologists consider dwarf planets and planetary-mass moons to be planets, but since 2006 the IAU and many astronomers have excluded them from the roster of planets.

1735

Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille.

French statesman (1732–1804)

Jacques Necker was a Genevan banker, financier and statesman who served as finance minister of France for Louis XVI. He was a reformer, but his innovations sometimes caused great discontent. Necker was a constitutional monarchist, a political economist, and a moralist, who wrote a severe critique of the new principle of equality before the law.

1789

The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty.

Most populous city in Michigan, United States

Detroit is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario. It is the 26th-most populous city in the United States and the largest U.S. city on the Canada–United States border, with a population of 639,111 at the 2020 census, and an estimated 2025 population of 649,095. The Metro Detroit area, at over 4.4 million people, is the 14th-largest metropolitan area in the nation and second-largest in the Midwest. The county seat of Wayne County, Detroit is a significant cultural center known for its contributions to music, art, architecture, and design, in addition to its historical automotive and industrial background.

1796

The United States Marine Corps is re-established; they had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War.

Naval infantry branch of the U.S. military

The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the naval infantry service branch of the United States Armed Forces. The service is responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious warfare through combined arms, implementing its own infantry, artillery, aerial, and special operations forces. The U.S. Marine Corps is a part of the United States Department of Defense and is one of the six armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.

1798

French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery.

In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history.

Jean-Louis Pons was a French astronomer. Despite humble beginnings and being self-taught, he went on to become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time: between 1801 and 1827 Pons discovered thirty-seven comets, more than any other person in history.

1801

A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.

1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton

The Burr–Hamilton duel took place in Weehawken, New Jersey, between Aaron Burr, the U.S. vice president at the time, and Alexander Hamilton, the first and former Secretary of the Treasury, at dawn on July 11, 1804. The duel was the culmination of a bitter rivalry that had developed over years between both men, who were high-profile politicians in the newly-established United States, founded following the victorious American Revolution and its associated Revolutionary War. It is one of the most famous duels in American history.

1804

Noongar Australian aboriginal warrior Yagan, wanted for the murder of white colonists in Western Australia, is killed.

Group of Aboriginal peoples of southwestern Australia

The Noongar are Aboriginal Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast. There are 14 different groups in the Noongar cultural bloc: Amangu, Ballardong, Yued, Kaneang, Koreng, Mineng, Njakinjaki, Njunga, Pibelmen, Pindjarup, Wadandi, Whadjuk, Wiilman and Wudjari. The Noongar people refer to their land as Noongar boodja.

1833

The Fly-fisher's Entomology is published by Alfred Ronalds.

The book transformed the sport and went to many editions.

The Fly-Fisher's Entomology, Illustrated by Coloured Representations of the Natural and Artificial Insect and Accompanied by a Few Observations and Instructions Relative to Trout-and-Grayling Fishing, first published in 1836 by Alfred Ronalds (1802–1860), was the first comprehensive work related to the entomology associated with fly fishing. Although the work was Ronalds' only book, it was published in 11 editions between 1836 and 1913 and has been extensively reprinted in the last 100 years.

1836

Waterloo railway station in London opens.

Central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom

Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a major central London railway terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of the same name and is adjacent to Waterloo East station on the South Eastern Main Line. The station is the terminus of the South West Main Line to Weymouth via Southampton, the West of England main line to Exeter via Salisbury, the Portsmouth Direct line to Portsmouth Harbour which connects with ferry services to the Isle of Wight, and several commuter services around west and south-west London, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

1848

American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C.

1861–1865 conflict in the United States

The American Civil War was a civil war in the United States between the Union and the Confederacy, which was formed in 1861 by states that had seceded from the Union to preserve slavery in the United States, which they saw as threatened because of the election of Abraham Lincoln and the growing abolitionist movement in the North. The war ended with Union victory, the dissolution of the Confederacy and the abolition of slavery, freeing four million African Americans.

1864

The British Mediterranean Fleet begins the Bombardment of Alexandria in Egypt as part of the Anglo-Egyptian War.

Formation of the Royal Navy, active from 1654 to 1967

The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between the United Kingdom and India. General at Sea Robert Blake was appointed as the first commander in September 1654. The Fleet was in existence until 1967.

1882

Tijuana, Mexico, is founded.

Largest city in Baja California, Mexico

Tijuana is the most populous city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located on the northwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico. It is the municipal seat of the Tijuana Municipality, the hub of the Tijuana metropolitan area and the most populous city in northern Mexico. Tijuana is just south of California and is adjacent to the Mexico–United States border which is part of the San Diego–Tijuana metro area.

1889

The first cultured pearl is obtained by Kōkichi Mikimoto.

Hard object produced within a living shelled mollusc

A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which is deposited in concentric layers. More commercially valuable pearls are perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes, known as baroque pearls, can occur. The finest quality of natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearls have become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable, and valuable.

1893

A revolution led by the liberal general and politician José Santos Zelaya takes over state power in Nicaragua.

Rapid and fundamental political change

In political science, a revolution is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic, or religious structures. According to the sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements at their core: (a) efforts to change the political regime that draw on a competing vision of a just order, (b) a notable degree of informal or formal mass mobilization, and (c) efforts to force change through noninstitutionalized actions such as mass demonstrations, protests, strikes, or violence."

1893

Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon.

Swedish engineer, physicist, and explorer (1854–1897)

Salomon August Andrée, during his lifetime most often known as S. A. Andrée, was a Swedish engineer, physicist, aeronaut and polar explorer who died while leading an attempt to reach the Geographic North Pole by hydrogen balloon. The balloon expedition was unsuccessful in reaching the Pole and resulted in the deaths of all three of its participants.

1897

Fiat founded by Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, Italy.

Italian automobile manufacturer

Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., commonly known as Fiat, is an Italian automobile manufacturer.

1899

Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy.

1906 homicide in Big Moose Lake, New York

Grace Mae Brown was an American woman who was murdered by her boyfriend, Chester Gillette, on Big Moose Lake, New York, after telling him she was pregnant. The murder, and the subsequent trial of the suspect, attracted national newspaper attention.

1906

Babe Ruth makes his debut in Major League Baseball.

American baseball player (1895–1948)

George Herman "Babe" Ruth was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", he began his MLB career as a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. In 1936, Ruth was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its "first five" members.

1914

The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship.

Dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy

USS Nevada (BB-36), the third United States Navy ship to be named after the 36th state, was the lead ship of the two Nevada-class battleships. Launched in 1914, Nevada was a leap forward in dreadnought technology; four of her new features would be included on almost every subsequent US battleship: triple gun turrets, oil in place of coal for fuel, geared steam turbines for greater range, and the "all or nothing" armor principle. These features made Nevada, alongside her sister ship Oklahoma, the first US Navy "standard-type" battleships.

1914

The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands.

Social movement to regulate the length of the working day

The eight-hour day movement was a social movement that appeared in various countries to regulate the length of a working day. The goal was preventing excesses and abuses of working time.

1919

In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany.

Referendum on whether to become part of Poland

The East Prussian plebiscite, also known as the Allenstein and Marienwerder plebiscite or Warmia, Masuria and Powiśle plebiscite, was a plebiscite for the self-determination of the regions of southern Warmia (Ermland), Masuria and Powiśle, which had been in parts of the East Prussian Government Region of Allenstein and of the West Prussian Government Region of Marienwerder in accordance with Articles 94 to 97 of the Treaty of Versailles.

1920

A truce in the Irish War of Independence comes into effect.

1919–1921 war between Irish and British forces

The Irish War of Independence, also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-military Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and its paramilitary forces the Auxiliaries and Ulster Special Constabulary (USC). It was part of the Irish revolutionary period.

1921

The Red Army captures Mongolia from the White Army and establishes the Mongolian People's Republic.

Soviet army and air force from 1918 to 1946

The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often referred by its shortened name as the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People's Commissars to oppose the military forces of the new nation's adversaries during the Russian Civil War, especially the various groups collectively known as the White Army. In February 1946, the Red Army was renamed the "Soviet Army". Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was split between the post-Soviet states, with its bulk becoming the Russian Ground Forces, commonly considered to be the successor of the Soviet Army.

1921

Former president of the United States William Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th chief justice of the U.S.

Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices.

The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.

1921

The Hollywood Bowl opens.

Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California

The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the ten best live music venues in the United States by Rolling Stone magazine in 2018 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.

1922

Eric Liddell won the gold medal in 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics, after refusing to run in the heats for 100m, his favoured distance, on a Sunday.

Scottish athlete and missionary (1902–1945)

Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish sprinter, rugby player and a Christian missionary. Born in Tianjin, China to Scottish missionary parents, he attended a boarding school near London, spending time when possible with his family in Edinburgh, and afterwards attended the University of Edinburgh.

1924

Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off.

20th-century German engineer and aviation pioneer

Engelbert Zaschka was a German chief engineer, chief designer and inventor. Zaschka is one of the first German helicopter pioneers and he is a pioneer of flying with muscle power and the folding car. Zaschka devoted himself primarily to aviation and automotive topics, but his work was not limited to them.

1934

The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic.

Bridge complex in New York City

The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge is a complex of bridges and elevated expressway viaducts in New York City. The bridges link the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. The viaducts cross Randalls and Wards Islands, previously two islands and now joined by landfill.

1936

World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established.

Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State.

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, the latter enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the only nuclear weapons used in war. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 60 to 75 million people. Millions died as a result of massacres, starvation, disease, and genocides, including the Holocaust. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.

1940

The Northern Rhodesian Labour Party holds its first congress in Nkana.

Political party in Northern Rhodesia

The Northern Rhodesian Labour Party was a political party in Northern Rhodesia. It was founded by Roy Welensky of the Rhodesian Railway Workers' Union originally to support white Rhodesian working class interests but also to support the creation of a federal state with Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It was dissolved in 1944 after losing the elections that year.

1941

Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Volhynia) peak.

Massacres of Poles by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II

The massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia were carried out in German-occupied Poland by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), with the support of parts of the local Ukrainian population, against the Polish minority in Volhynia, Eastern Galicia, parts of Polesia, and the Lublin region from 1943 to 1945. The UPA's actions resulted in up to 100,000 Polish deaths.

1943

World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily.

Part of World War 2 in 1943

The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as the Battle of Sicily and Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which Allied forces invaded the Italian island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis forces. The island was defended by the Italian 6th Army and the German XIV Panzer Corps. The invasion paved the way for the Allied invasion of mainland Italy and initiated the Italian campaign that removed Italy from the war.

1943

The Exodus 1947 heads to Palestine from France.

United States packet steamship

Exodus 1947 was a packet steamship that was built in the United States in 1928 as President Warfield for the Baltimore Steam Packet Company. From her completion in 1928 until 1942 she carried passengers and freight across Chesapeake Bay between Norfolk, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland.

1947

Pakistan joins the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank.

Country in South Asia

Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. Islamabad is the nation's capital, while Karachi is its largest city and financial centre. Pakistan is the 33rd-largest country by area. Bounded by the Arabian Sea on the south, the Gulf of Oman on the southwest, and the Sir Creek on the southeast, it shares land borders with India to the east; Afghanistan to the west; Iran to the southwest; and China to the northeast. It shares a maritime border with Oman in the Gulf of Oman, and is separated from Tajikistan in the northwest by Afghanistan's narrow Wakhan Corridor.

1950

Prince Karim Husseini Aga Khan IV inherits the office of Imamat as the 49th Imam of Shia Imami Ismai'li worldwide, after the death of Sir Sultan Mahommed Shah Aga Khan III.

Islamic Imam, 1957–2025

Shah Karim al-Hussaini, known simply as Aga Khan IV, was the 49th Imam of Nizari Isma'ili Shia Islam from 1957 until his death in 2025. He inherited the Nizari imamate and the title of Aga Khan at the age of 20 upon the death of his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah. During his Imamate, he was also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Isma'ili followers.

1957

France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso) and Niger.

1958–1975 state in West Africa, now known as Benin

The Republic of Dahomey, simply known as Dahomey, was established on 4 December 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Prior to attaining autonomy, it had been French Dahomey, part of the French Union. On 1 August 1960, it attained full independence from France.

1960

Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

1960–1965 political unrest in Central Africa

The Congo Crisis was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo. The crisis began almost immediately after the Congo became independent from Belgium and ended, unofficially, with the entire country under the rule of Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. Constituting a series of civil wars, the Congo Crisis was also a proxy conflict in the Cold War, in which the Soviet Union and the United States supported opposing factions. Around 100,000 people are believed to have been killed during the crisis.

1960

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published, in the United States.

1960 novel by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize a year after its release, and it has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on Lee's observations of her family, her neighbors and an event that occurred near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1936, when she was ten.

1960

First transatlantic satellite television transmission.

Broadcasting of television using artificial satellites

Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna commonly referred to as a satellite dish and a low-noise block downconverter.

1962

Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth.

1961–1972 American crewed lunar exploration program

The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo was conceived in 1960 in the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidency during Project Mercury and executed after Project Gemini. Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's national goal, "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" in his address to the U.S. Congress on May 25, 1961.

1962

The nationalization of all large copper mines in Chile is completed.

State acquisition process (1950s-1971)

The nationalization of the Chilean copper industry, commonly described as the Chilenization of copper was the process by which the Chilean government acquired control of the major foreign-owned section of the Chilean copper mining industry. It involved the three large world-class mines known as 'La Gran Mineria' and three smaller operations. The Chilean-owned smaller copper mines were not affected. The process started under the government of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (1952–1958), and culminated during the government of President Salvador Allende (1970–1973), who completed the nationalization. This "act of sovereignty" was the espoused basis for a later international economic boycott, which further isolated Chile from the world economy, worsening the state of political polarization that led to the 1973 Chilean coup d'état.

1971

The first game of the World Chess Championship 1972 between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky starts.

Match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky

The World Chess Championship 1972 was a match for the World Chess Championship between challenger Bobby Fischer of the United States and defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union. The match took place in the Laugardalshöll in Reykjavík, Iceland, and has been dubbed the Match of the Century. Fischer became the first US-born player to win the world title. Fischer's win also ended, for a short time, 24 years of Soviet domination of the World Championship.

1972

Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board.

In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories.

Varig Flight 820 was a scheduled flight of the Brazilian airline Varig that departed from Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 11 July 1973, for Orly Airport, in Paris, France. The Boeing 707, registration PP-VJZ, made an emergency landing in onion fields about 5 km (2.7 nmi) from Orly Airport, due to smoke in the cabin from a lavatory fire. The fire caused 123 deaths; there were only 11 survivors . Relief Captain Antonio Fuzimoto was the pilot who handled the controls and landed the plane in the field.

1973

Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

American minister and civil rights activist (1929–1968)

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister who was a prominent leader of the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination, which most commonly affected African Americans.

1977

Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists.

1978 tanker truck accident in Spain

The Los Alfaques disaster was caused by the explosion of a road tanker near a holiday campsite on 11 July 1978 in Alcanar, Spain. The exploding tanker, which was carrying 23 tons of highly flammable liquefied propylene, killed 215 people and severely burned 200 more, 178 of those killed were French. Several individuals from the company that owned the vehicle were prosecuted for criminal negligence. The disaster resulted in new legislation in Spain, restricting the transit of vehicles carrying dangerous cargo through populated areas to night time only.

1978

America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.

First space station launched and operated by NASA (1973–1979)

Skylab was the United States' first space station, launched by NASA, occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974. It was operated by three trios of astronaut crews: Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4.

1979

Italy defeats West Germany 3–1 to win the FIFA World Cup.

Men's association football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in men's international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence.

1982

A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board.

Flag-carrier airline of Ecuador (1962–2020)

TAME or TAME EP Linea Aerea del Ecuador was an airline founded in Ecuador in 1962. TAME was the flag carrier and the largest airline of Ecuador. TAME headquarters were in Quito, Pichincha Province and the main hub was Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito. The airline was formed by the Air Force of Ecuador. In 2011, it became a commercial entity and provided domestic, international and charter flights. On May 20, 2020, the Ecuadorean government decided to cease all operations and liquidate the airline.

1983

Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins.

1990 land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada

The Oka Crisis, also known as the Mohawk Crisis or Kanehsatà꞉ke Resistance, was a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada, over plans to build a golf course on land known as "The Pines" which included an Indigenous burial ground. The crisis began on July 11, 1990, and lasted 78 days until September 26, with two fatalities. The dispute was the first well-publicized violent conflict between First Nations and provincial governments in the late 20th century.

1990

Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing all 261 passengers and crew on board.

1991 aviation accident in Saudi Arabia

Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 was a chartered passenger flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Sokoto, Nigeria, on 11 July 1991, which caught fire shortly after takeoff from King Abdulaziz International Airport and crashed while attempting to return for an emergency landing, killing all 247 passengers and 14 crew members on board. The investigation traced the fire to underinflated tires which overheated and burst during takeoff, and subsequently discovered that a project manager had prevented those tires from being replaced because the aircraft was behind schedule. The aircraft was a Douglas DC-8 operated by Nationair Canada for Nigeria Airways. Flight 2120 is the deadliest accident involving a DC-8 and the deadliest aviation disaster involving a Canadian airline.

1991

Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins, lasting until 22 July.

1991–2001 series of wars in the Balkans

The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The conflicts both led up to and resulted from the breakup of Yugoslavia, which began in mid-1991, into six independent countries matching the six republics that had previously constituted Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia, which was later renamed to North Macedonia. The breakup of Yugoslavia and the accompanying Yugoslav Wars are commonly attributed to increasing nationalism and unresolved ethnic tensions in Yugoslavia. While most of the conflicts ended through peace accords that involved full international recognition of the new states, they resulted in the deaths of many as well as severe economic damage to the region.

1995

Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India.

2006 terrorist attack on the Mumbai Suburban Railway by Lashkar-e-Taiba

The 2006 Mumbai train bombings were a series of seven bomb blasts on 11 July 2006. They took place over a period of 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the nation's financial capital, The bombs were set off in pressure cookers on trains plying on the Western Line Suburban Section of the Mumbai Division of Western Railway. The blasts killed 209 people and injured over 700 more.

2006

The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carries out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others.

Politico-religious ideology

Islamism is a range of religious and political ideological movements that believe that Islam should influence political systems. Its proponents believe Islam is innately political, and that Islam as a political system is superior to communism, liberal democracy, capitalism, and other alternatives in achieving a just, successful society. The advocates of Islamism are usually affiliated with Islamic institutions or social mobilization movements, emphasizing the implementation of sharia, pan-Islamic political unity, and the creation of Islamic states.

2010

In Johannesburg, Spain defeat the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time to win their first FIFA World Cup title.

Men's association football team

The Spain national football team has represented Spain in men's international football competition since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.

2010

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán escapes from the maximum security Altiplano prison in Mexico, his second escape.

Mexican drug lord incarcerated in a US federal prison (born 1957)

Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, commonly known as "El Chapo", is a Mexican former drug lord and the former top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzmán is believed to be responsible for the deaths of over 34,000 people, and was considered to be the most powerful drug trafficker in the world until he was extradited to the United States and sentenced to life in prison.

2015

Virgin Galactic launches its founder, Richard Branson, into space, the first company ever to do so.

Space tourism company

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. is a British-American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson and the Virgin Group conglomerate, which retains an 11.9% stake through Virgin Investments Limited.

2021

Born on July 11

20 people 1989 – 2002

Amad

Ivorian footballer

Amad Diallo, sometimes known mononymously as Amad, is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Ivory Coast national team.

2002

Ryan Rolison

American baseball player

Ryan Perry Rolison is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies. He played college baseball for the Ole Miss…

1997

Alessia Cara

Canadian singer-songwriter

Alessia Caracciolo, known professionally as Alessia Cara, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She began posting covers of songs on YouTube at age 13. After uploading acoustic covers of songs such as "Love Yourself" and…

1996

Joey Bosa

American football player

Joseph Anthony Bosa is an American professional football defensive end. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected third overall by the then San Diego Chargers in the 2016 NFL draft, where…

1995

Tyler Medeiros

Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer

Tyler Medeiros is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and dancer.

1995

Bartłomiej Kalinkowski

Polish footballer

Bartłomiej Kalinkowski is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for IV liga Masovia club Hutnik Warsaw. He started his senior career with Legia Warsaw.

1994

Anthony Milford

Australian rugby league player

Anthony Milford is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Intrust Super Cup.

1994

Nina Nesbitt

Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist

Nina Lindberg Nesbitt is a Scottish singer and musician. She is best known for her UK and Scottish top 40 hit singles "Stay Out" and "Selfies". She also earned further recognition with her rendition of Fleetwood Mac's…

1994

Lucas Ocampos

Argentinian footballer

Lucas Ariel Ocampos is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Liga MX club Monterrey.

1994

Rebecca Bross

American gymnast

Rebecca Marie Bross is an American former artistic gymnast and six-time World Championship medalist.

1993

Heini Salonen

Finnish tennis player

Heini Salonen is a Finnish tennis player.

1993

Mohamed Elneny

Egyptian footballer

Mohamed Naser Elsayed Elneny is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for UAE Pro League club Al Jazira and the Egypt national team. He is regarded as one of the best Egyptian players…

1992

Mona Barthel

German tennis player

Mona Barthel is a German tennis player. On 18 March 2013, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 23. On 14 September 2015, she peaked at No. 63 in the doubles rankings.

1990

Connor Paolo

American actor

Connor Paolo is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Eric van der Woodsen on the CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl and Declan Porter on the ABC drama series Revenge. He has also appeared in two Oliver Stone…

1990

Adam Jezierski

Polish-Spanish actor and singer

Adam Jezierski Ros is a Polish-born actor based in Spain. He is known for playing lead role in the series Física o Química as Gorka Martínez Mora.

1990

Patrick Peterson

American football player

Patrick De'mon Peterson Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the…

1990

Caroline Wozniacki

Danish tennis player

Caroline Wozniacki is a Danish former professional tennis player. She has been ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the WTA, holding the position for a total of 71 weeks. Wozniacki has won 30 WTA Tour-level…

1990

Tobias Sana

Swedish footballer

Tobias Tigjani Sana is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Superettan club Örgryte IS.

1989

Travis Waddell

Australian rugby league player

Travis Waddell is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who most recently played for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Intrust Super Cup. He plays as a hooker. He previously played for the Canberra…

1989

Shimanoumi Koyo

Japanese sumo wrestler

Shimanoumi Kōyō is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Shima, Mie. He debuted in sumo wrestling in July 2012 and made his makuuchi debut in May 2019. His highest rank has been maegashira 3. He wrestles for Kise…

1989

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Died on July 11

20 people 2013 – 2025

Martin Cruz Smith

American author and screenwriter (born 1942)

Martin William Smith, known professionally as Martin Cruz Smith, was an American writer of mystery and suspense fiction, mostly in an international or historical setting. He was best known for his 11-book series…

2025

Shelley Duvall

American actress (born 1949)

Shelley Alexis Duvall was an American actress and producer known for her distinctive screen presence, portrayals of eccentric characters, and later productions in children's programming. Her accolades include a Cannes…

2024

Monte Kiffin

American football coach (born 1940)

Monte George Kiffin was an American football coach. He is widely considered to have been one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL…

2024

Stanley Tshabalala

South African soccer player and coach (born 1949)

Stanley "Screamer" Tshabalala was a South African soccer player, coach and administrator.

2024

Milan Kundera

Czech-French writer (born 1929)

Milan Kundera was a Czech and French novelist. Kundera went into exile in France in 1975, acquiring citizenship in 1981. His Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979, but he was granted Czech citizenship in 2019.

2023

Charlie Robinson

American actor (born 1945)

Charlie Robinson was an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the NBC sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson, the clerk of the court and a Vietnam War veteran.

2021

Renée Simonot

French actress (born 1911)

Jeanne Renée Deneuve, known professionally as Renée-Jeanne Simonot, was a French actress and voice artist. Partially italian, she was married to actor Maurice Dorléac, the mother of actresses Catherine Deneuve and…

2021

Marc Angelucci

American attorney and men's rights activist, Vice-president of the National Coalition for Men (born 1968)

Marc Etienne Angelucci was an American attorney, men's rights activist, and the vice-president of the National Coalition for Men (NCFM). As a lawyer, he represented several cases related to men's rights issues, and the…

2020

Frank Bolling

American baseball second baseman (born 1931)

Francis Elmore Bolling was an American baseball second baseman who played twelve seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves from 1954 until 1966. He batted and…

2020

Jim Wong-Chu

Canadian poet (born 1949)

Jim Wong-Chu was a Canadian activist, community organizer, poet, author, editor, and historian. Wong-Chu is one of Canada's most celebrated literary pioneers. He was a community organizer known for his work in…

2017

Giacomo Biffi

Italian cardinal (born 1928)

Giacomo Biffi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop Emeritus of Bologna, having served as archbishop there from 1984 to 2003. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1985.

2015

Satoru Iwata

Japanese game programmer and businessman (born 1959)

Satoru Iwata was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer and producer. Beginning in 2002, Iwata served as the fourth president of Nintendo, as well as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Nintendo of America from…

2015

André Leysen

Belgian businessman (born 1927)

André Leysen was a Belgian businessman. In 1951, he married Anne Ahlers, daughter of a shipping family from Bremen, Germany. Together they have four children: Bettina, Christian, Thomas, and Sabina.

2015

Charlie Haden

American bassist and composer (born 1937)

Charles Edward Haden was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than fifty years. Haden helped to revolutionize the harmonic concept of bass playing in jazz,…

2014

Carin Mannheimer

Swedish author and screenwriter (born 1934)

Carin Mannheimer was a Swedish dramatist, screenwriter, author and film director, born in Osby, Sweden. She garnered acclaim with Rapport om kvinnor, which was published in 1969. The book is a collection of interviews…

2014

Bill McGill

American basketball player (born 1939)

Bill "the Hill" McGill was an American basketball player best known for inventing the jump hook. McGill was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1962 NBA draft out of the University of Utah, with whom he led the NCAA in…

2014

Tommy Ramone

Hungarian-American drummer and producer (born 1949)

Thomas Erdelyi, known professionally as Tommy Ramone, was a Hungarian-American musician. He was the drummer for the influential punk rock band the Ramones from its debut in 1974 to 1978, later serving as its producer,…

2014

John Seigenthaler

American journalist and academic (born 1927)

John Lawrence Seigenthaler was an American journalist, writer, and political figure. He was known as a prominent defender of First Amendment rights.

2014

Randall Stout

American architect, designed the Taubman Museum of Art (born 1958)

Randall Paul Stout was an American architect based in Los Angeles.

2014

Emik Avakian

Iranian-American inventor (born 1923)

Emik Avakian was an Armenian American inventor and owner of numerous patents including breath-operated computer, a mechanism that facilitates putting wheelchairs on automobiles, and a self operating robotic wheel that…

2013

See all deaths on July 11

What happened on July 11 in history?

On July 11, one notable event in history was 2011: Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus..

This date currently highlights 67 recorded events on thisDay.info, spanning 813 – 2021.

DateJuly 11

Featured year2011

LocationZygi, Cyprus

Events listed67

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July 11 in History

2011 — Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus

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July 11 in History

2011 — Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus

Born on July 11

Died on July 11

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