Discover what happened on April 11 in history, along with notable events that shaped space exploration, civil rights, and sports history.
What Happened on April 11 in History?
From a dramatic mission to the moon to a groundbreaking moment in baseball and a major step forward for civil rights, April 11 has seen events that reshaped American history and culture.
APRIL 11 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1783 – After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on March 13, the U.S. Congress proclaimed a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain.
1803 – A twin-screw propeller steamboat was patented by John Stevens.
1868 – U.S. Army Commander Ulysses S. Grant was stopped for speeding in his horse-drawn buggy. He was stopped again three months later and fined $5.
1876 – The stenotype was patented by John C. Zachos.
1882 – U.S. patent #256,265 was issued for the Block Clock — an alarm clock that was mounted over the bed. At a set time, the clocked dropped two dozen small wood blocks onto the sleeper.
1895 – Anaheim, CA, completed its new electric light system.
1921 – Iowa became the first state to impose a tax on cigarettes.
1921 – The first live sports event on radio took place this day on KDKA Radio. The event was a boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee.
1901 – Construction on the Empire State Building was completed. The building was dedicated and opened on May 1, 1931.
1936 – The Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup for the first time.
1940 – Andrew Ponzi set a world’s record in a New York pocket billiards tournament when he ran 127 balls straight.
1947 – Jackie Robinson became the first black player in major-league history. He played in an exhibition game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1952 – The movie “Singin’ in the Rain”, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, premiered in theaters in the United States.
1965 – The Palm Sunday tornado outbreak. Fifty-one tornadoes hit in six Midwestern states, killing 256 people. One of the tornadoes hit Comstock Park and Rockford, MI. It was the second worst tornado outbreak in the United States, striking from Iowa to Ohio. The worst damage was near the Indiana state line. Five people were killed in the tornado that went through Comstock Park.
1968 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1968 Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.
1970 – Apollo 13 blasted off on a mission to the moon that was disrupted when an explosion crippled the spacecraft. The astronauts managed to return safely.
1974 – The Judiciary committee subpoenas President Richard Nixon to produce tapes for impeachment inquiry.
1976 – The Apple I was created.
1980 – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued regulations specifically prohibiting sexual harassment of workers by supervisors.
1981 – President Ronald Reagan returned to the White House from the hospital after recovering from an assassination attempt on March 30.
1985 – Scientists in Hawaii measured the distance between the earth and moon within one inch.
1986 – Dodge Morgan sailed solo nonstop around the world in 150 days.
1986 – Kellogg’s stopped giving tours of its breakfast-food plant in Battle Creek, MI. The reason for the end of the 80 year tradition was said to be that company secrets were at risk due to spies from other cereal companies. Read more about the tours here.
1990 – Elton John sang at the funeral of AIDS victim Ryan White.
1996 – Seven-year-old Jessica Dubroff was killed with her father and flight instructor when her plane crashed after takeoff from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Jessica had hoped to become the youngest person to fly cross-country.
1997 – The movie “Anaconda”, starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Jon Voight, premiered in theaters.
2000 – At Comerica Park in Detroit, the Tigers played their first home opener in their new ballpark. They beat the Seattle Mariners 5-2 in front of a crowd of 39,168 fans.
2001 – The movie “Joe Dirt”, starring David Spade, debuted in theaters.
2001 – Ending a tense 11 day standoff, China agreed to free the 24 crew members of an American spy plane after President George W. Bush apologized for the death of a Chinese fighter pilot whose plane had collided with the American aircraft.
2007 – Apple announced that the iTunes Store had sold more than two million movies.
2007 – MSNBC announced that it would stop simulcasting “Imus in the Morning” in the wake of controversial, racially charged comments made by Don Imus about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. His on air “nappy headed hos” comment got him fired from his radio gig a day later.
2009 – Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation after her performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables on the British TV show “Britain’s Got Talent”.
2020 – Farm Aid was held virtually. Farm Aid “At Home” included artists Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Black Pumas, Bonnie Raitt, Boz Scaggs, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Edie Brickell, Jack Johnson, Jamey Johnson, and others.
2021 – Twenty year old Daunte Wright was shot and killed in Brooklyn Center, MN by officer Kimberly Potter, sparking protests in the city, when the officer mistook her pistol for her taser.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON APRIL 11:
Nicholas F. Brady – 96 years old (1930) – Businessman and politician, 68th United States Secretary of the Treasury
Joel Grey – 94 years old (1932) – Actor, singer, and dancer
Tony Brown – 93 years old (1933) – Journalist and academic
Reatha King – 88 years old (1938) – Chemist and businesswoman
Louise Lasser – 87 years old (1939) – Actress
Ellen Goodman – 85 years old (1941) – Journalist and author
Hattie Gossett – 84 years old (1942) – Writer
John Milius – 82 years old (1944) – Director, producer, and screenwriter
Peter Riegert – 79 years old (1947) – Actor, screenwriter and film director
Bill Irwin – 76 years old (1950) – Actor and clown
Nancy Honeytree – 74 years old (1952) – Singer and guitarist
Kevin Brady – 71 years old (1955) – Lawyer and politician
Ana María Polo – 67 years old (1959) – Cuban-American lawyer and judge
Vincent Gallo – 65 years old (1961) – Actor, director, producer, and musician
Steve Azar – 62 years old (1964) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Johann Sebastian Paetsch – 62 years old (1964) – Cellist
Bret Saberhagen – 62 years old (1964) – Baseball player and coach
Steve Scarsone – 60 years old (1966) – Baseball player and manager
Dustin Rhodes – 57 years old (1969) – Wrestler
Jason Varitek – 54 years old (1972) – Baseball player and manager
Jennifer Esposito – 53 years old (1973) – Actress and writer
Trot Nixon – 52 years old (1974) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Josh Server – 47 years old (1979) – Actor
Mark Teixeira – 46 years old (1980) – Baseball player
Kelli Garner – 42 years old (1984) – Actress
Brennan Poole – 35 years old (1991) – Racing driver
Summer Walker – 30 years old (1996) – Singer-songwriter
Ken Carson – 26 years old (2000) – Rapper and record producer
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR APRIL 11:
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
