Today in History: February 11

1531 – Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.

1790 – The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions the U.S. Congress for the abolition of slavery.

1858 – Bernadette Soubirous sees a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes. The small town in southern France became one of the most important Christian places of pilgrimage.

1943 – World War II: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is selected to command the Allied armies in Europe.

1973 – Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.

1975 – Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female leader of the British Conservative Party.

1978 – Censorship: China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, William Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens.

1979 – Ayatollah Khomeini seizes power in Iran. A few days after Khomeini’s triumphant return from French exile, the Iranian army steps aside, making way for the creation of an Islamic theocracy.

1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner.

2011 – Egyptian Revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 18 days of protests (Arab Spring).

2012 – Whitney Houston, American rhythm-and-blues singer Whitney Houston who emerged as a pop superstar in the 1980s, especially known for her soaring voice died at age 48.

2013 – Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation from February 28, the first pope to resign since 1415.

Famous Births

Jennifer Aniston, 54 years old
She was born in 1969 in Los Angeles and gained worldwide recognition for portraying Rachel Green on the television sitcom “Friends” (1994–2004), a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has played the female protagonist in dozens of romantic comedy films. She is 54 today.

Brandy Rayana, 44 years
Brandy Rayana Norwood, born on 11 February 1979, better known mononymously as Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Her sound is characterized by heavy voice layering and riffs. As of 2024, she has sold over 40 million records worldwide, with approximately 8.62 million albums sold in the United States.

Thomas Edison ( February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931)
A prolific inventor whose discoveries changed life forever and ushered in the electric age.
His inventions included the phonograph, the electric light bulb, the electric power industry, and motion pictures. He holds an incredible 1,093 US patents in his name. He died of diabetes complications at the age of 84.

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