January 11 in history — What Happened Today in History
Welcome to January 11 in history! Here you can discover what happened on January 11, including the major events, the famous people born on January 11 and the notable deaths on January 11, with the newest story starting in 2020.
On this page, January 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 January 11 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on January 11 in History 40
- 2020
COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in Wuhan announce the first recorded death from COVID-19.
- 2013
One French soldier and 17 militants are killed in a failed attempt to free a French hostage in Bulo Marer, Somalia.
- 2003
Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois's death row based on the Jon Burge scandal.
- 1998
Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.
- 1996
Space Shuttle program: STS-72 launches from the Kennedy Space Center marking the start of the 74th Space Shuttle mission and the 10th flight of Endeavour.
- 1995
51 people are killed in a plane crash in María La Baja, Colombia.
- 1994
The Irish Government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the IRA and its political arm Sinn Féin.
- 1986
The Gateway Bridge, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia is officially opened.
- 1983
United Airlines Flight 2885 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing three.
- 1977
The first episode of Finnish children's TV show Pikku Kakkonen ("Little Number Two") is aired on Yle TV2.
- 1973
Major League Baseball owners vote in approval of the American League adopting the designated hitter position.
- 1972
East Pakistan renames itself Bangladesh.
All entries for January 11（+28）
- 1966
The Tbilisi Metro is opened.
- 1964
Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.
- 1962
Cold War: While tied to its pier in Polyarny, the Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment.
- 1962
An avalanche on Huascarán in Peru causes around 4,000 deaths.
- 1961
Throgs Neck Bridge over the East River, linking New York City's boroughs of The Bronx and Queens, opens to road traffic.
- 1959
36 people are killed when Lufthansa Flight 502 crashes on approach to Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport in Brazil.
- 1957
The African Convention is founded in Dakar, Senegal.
- 1949
The first "networked" television broadcasts took place as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
- 1946
Enver Hoxha, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Albania, declares the People's Republic of Albania with himself as head of state.
- 1943
The Republic of China agrees to the Sino-British New Equal Treaty and the Sino-American New Equal Treaty.
- 1943
Italian-American anarchist Carlo Tresca is assassinated in New York City.
- 1942
World War II: Japanese forces capture Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States.
- 1942
World War II: Japanese forces attack Tarakan in Borneo, Netherlands Indies (Battle of Tarakan)
- 1935
Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
- 1927
Louis B. Mayer, head of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), announces the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, at a banquet in Los Angeles, California.
- 1923
Occupation of the Ruhr: Troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area to force Germany to make its World War I reparation payments.
- 1922
Leonard Thompson becomes the first person to be injected with insulin.
- 1917
The Kingsland munitions factory explosion occurs, possibly as a result of German sabotage.
- 1914
The Karluk, flagship of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, sinks after being crushed by ice.
- 1912
Immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, go on strike when wages are reduced in response to a mandated shortening of the work week.
- 1908
Grand Canyon National Monument is created.
- 1879
The Anglo-Zulu War begins.
- 1863
American Civil War: The three-day Battle of Arkansas Post concludes as General John McClernand and Admiral David Dixon Porter capture Fort Hindman and secure control over the Arkansas River for the Union.
- 1863
American Civil War: CSS Alabama encounters and sinks the USS Hatteras off Galveston Lighthouse in Texas.
- 1861
American Civil War: Alabama secedes from the United States.
- 1851
Taiping Rebellion: Hong Xiuquan proclaims the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, starting the Jintian Uprising.
- 1820
The Great Savannah Fire of 1820 destroys over 400 buildings in Savannah, Georgia.
- 1805
The Michigan Territory is created.
Famous Birthdays on January 11 in History 25
- 2002
Elly De La Cruz, Dominican baseball player
- 2000
Lee Chae-yeon, South Korean singer-songwriter
- 1999
Jeanette Hegg Duestad, Norwegian sport shooter
- 1999
Lim Sung-jin, South Korean volleyball player
- 1999
Brandon Wakeham, Australian-Fijian rugby league player
- 1998
Thomas Mikaele, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1997
Cody Simpson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
- 1996
Leroy Sané, German footballer
- 1995
Nick Solak, American baseball player
- 1993
Chris Boucher, Saint Lucian-Canadian basketball player
- 1993
Park Junghwan, South Korean Go player
- 1993
Michael Keane, English footballer
All entries for January 11（+13）
- 1993
Will Keane, Irish footballer
- 1992
Dani Carvajal, Spanish footballer
- 1992
Lee Seung-hoon, South Korean rapper and dancer
- 1991
Andrea Bertolacci, Italian footballer
- 1990
Malik Jackson, American football player
- 1989
Demario Davis, American football player
- 1988
Epiphanny Prince, American-Russian basketball player
- 1987
Scotty Cranmer, American BMX rider
- 1987
Danuta Kozák, Hungarian sprint canoer
- 1987
Daniel Semenzato, Italian footballer
- 1987
Jamie Vardy, English footballer
- 1987
Kim Young-kwang, South Korean actor and model
- 1985
Dennis Dixon, American football player
Notable Deaths on January 11 in History 25
- 2026
Richard Codey, American politician, 53rd Governor of New Jersey (born 1946)
- 2023
Carole Cook, American actress and singer (born 1924)
- 2019
Michael Atiyah, British-Lebanese mathematician (born 1929)
- 2018
Edgar Ray Killen, American murderer (born 1925)
- 2017
Adenan Satem, Malaysian politician and Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia (born 1944)
- 2016
Monte Irvin, American baseball player (born 1919)
- 2016
David Margulies, American actor (born 1937)
- 2015
Jenő Buzánszky, Hungarian footballer and coach (born 1925)
- 2015
Anita Ekberg, Swedish-Italian model and actress (born 1931)
- 2015
Chashi Nazrul Islam, Bangladeshi director and producer (born 1941)
- 2015
Vernon Benjamin Mountcastle, American neuroscientist and academic (born 1918)
- 2014
Keiko Awaji, Japanese actress (born 1933)
All entries for January 11（+13）
- 2014
Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Indian-Bangladeshi jurist and politician, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (born 1928)
- 2014
Chai Trong-rong, Taiwanese educator and politician (born 1935)
- 2014
Ariel Sharon, Israeli general and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Israel (born 1928)
- 2013
Guido Forti, Italian businessman, founded the Forti Racing Team (born 1940)
- 2013
Nguyễn Khánh, Vietnamese general and politician, 3rd President of South Vietnam (born 1927)
- 2013
Mariangela Melato, Italian actress (born 1941)
- 2013
Tom Parry Jones, Welsh chemist, invented the breathalyzer (born 1935)
- 2013
Alemayehu Shumye, Ethiopian runner (born 1988)
- 2013
Aaron Swartz, American programmer and activist (born 1986)
- 2012
Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, Iranian physicist and academic (born 1980)
- 2012
Gilles Jacquier, French journalist and photographer (born 1968)
- 2012
Edgar Kaiser, Jr, American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (born 1942)
- 2012
Wally Osterkorn, American basketball player (born 1928)
That is the story of January 11 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on January 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 January 11 in history?
The biggest event on January 11 in history is: 2020 — COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in Wuhan announce the first recorded death from COVID-19.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on January 11?
25 famous people were born on January 11 in history, the best known being 2002 — Elly De La Cruz, Dominican baseball player.
Who died on January 11?
25 notable people died on January 11 in history, including 2026 — Richard Codey, American politician, 53rd Governor of New Jersey (born 1946).
Why should I read about January 11 in history?
Exploring January 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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