On This Day - What Happened On October 11 | Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos A Britannica Newsletter Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP ADD TO YOUR INBOX Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! By clicking "Add To Your Inbox"tapping "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Home On This Day TODAY IN HISTORY October 11 What Happened On Your Bday? Go to Today's Date

Featured Event

1962 Opening of the Second Vatican Council The Second Vatican Council, announced by Pope John XXIII in 1959, opened this day in 1962, lasted for three years, and remains a symbol (controversial to some) of the church's readiness to adapt to modern life. AP/Shutterstock.com

Featured Biography

Eleanor Roosevelt American diplomat, humanitarian and first lady bornOctober 11, 1884New York City, New YorkdiedNovember 7, 1962 (aged 78)New York City, New YorkBrown Brothers 1961 Steve Young American football player 1957 Dawn French Welsh actress 1942 Amitabh Bachchan Indian actor 1937 Bobby Charlton British football player and manager 1925 Elmore Leonard American author See All Biographies On This Day

More Events On This Day

2005 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pumped the last of the floodwaters out of New Orleans, some 43 days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the Gulf Coast. Who gets to move on from Hurricane Katrina?Liz Roll/FEMA 2002 The U.S. Congress passed a bill, by a wide margin, granting U.S. President George W. Bush broad authority to use force against Iraq, as Bush and his administration continued to make the case for what became the Iraq War.© MedioImages/Getty Images 2000 In a ceremony in London, the International Women of the Year Association awarded the title Greatest Woman Achiever of the Century to Russian cosmonaut Valentina V. Tereshkova, the first woman in space. Take our quiz about famous astronauts and cosmonautsAlexander Mokletsov/RIA Novosti Archive (image no. 612748) 1991 During the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas—who had been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court—the lawyer and educator Anita Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and accused him of sexual harassment. The hearings polarized Americans, and Thomas was narrowly confirmed, 52–48.AP/Shutterstock.com 1984 American astronaut Kathryn Sullivan became the first woman to walk in space. Test your knowledge of space explorationJSC/NASA 1976 The Toxic Substances Control Act was signed into law by U.S. President Gerald Ford. It gave the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate chemical compounds found to be or suspected of being harmful to public health or the environment. 1975 The TV sketch comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live debuted on NBC and became a landmark in American television. Explore a list of all SNL cast members since 1975© National Broadcasting Company 1974 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was established by U.S. President Gerald Ford to oversee the civilian use of nuclear materials in the United States.Bachrach44 1971 Former Beatle John Lennon's Imagine was released as a single; an iconic song of hope and peace, it is arguably the best-known work of his solo career.STEPHEN MORLEY/REX/Shutterstock.com 1958 The uncrewed U.S. deep-space probe Pioneer 1 was launched into lunar orbit. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about objects in spaceNASA 1944 The film noir classic Laura, starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, premiered in New York City. Take our film buff quiz© 1944 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation 1899 The South African (Boer) War began between Great Britain and the two Boer (Afrikaner) republics—the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State.Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZ62-11455) 1890 The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was organized in Washington, D.C.© Regine Poirier/Shutterstock.com 1737 The Hooghly River Cyclone made landfall near what is today Kolkata. The storm killed an estimated 25,000 to 45,000 people and caused widespread destruction, and it remains one of the most significant disasters in South Asian history. 1531 Protestant troops under Jörg Göldli were defeated by Roman Catholic troops at the Battle of Kappel during the Swiss Reformation. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about European history SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.