✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 131st day of the year

May 11

A look at May 11 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Abou Diaby and Salvador Dalí, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♉ZodiacTaurus ◈BirthstoneEmerald ❀Birth flowerLily of the Valley
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2022

    Shireen Abu Akleh

    Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is killed while covering a raid in Jenin. Israel eventually admitted and apologized for the murder, after initial denials.

    Palestinian-American journalist (1971–2022)
  2. 2011

    2011 Lorca earthquake

    An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hits Lorca, Spain.

    Moderate 5.1 Mw earthquake
  3. 2010

    David Cameron

    David Cameron takes office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats form the country's first coalition government since the Second World War.

    Prime Minister of the
  4. 1998

    Pokhran-II

    India conducts three underground atomic tests in Pokhran.

    1998 series of Indian
  5. 1997

    Deep Blue (chess computer)

    Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format.

    Chess-playing computer made by
  6. 1889

    Wham Paymaster robbery

    An attack upon a U.S. Army paymaster and escort results in the theft of over $28,000 and the award of two Medals of Honor.

    Armed robbery of a
  7. 1858

    Minnesota

    Minnesota becomes the 32nd U.S. state.

    U.S. state
  8. 1813

    William Lawson (explorer)

    William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth discover a route across the Blue Mountains, opening up inland Australia to settlement.

    English born Australian explorer
  9. 1812

    Spencer Perceval

    Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons.

    Prime Minister of the
  10. 868

    Diamond Sutra

    A copy of the Diamond Sūtra is published, the earliest dated and printed book known.

    Buddhist sutra in Mahāyāna
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Famous birthday twins

Born on May 11

Abou Diaby

b. 1986

French footballer

Salvador Dalí

b. 1904

Spanish artist

Edsger W. Dijkstra

b. 1930

Dutch computer scientist and academic

Maurice Harkless

b. 1993

American-Puerto Rican basketball player

Richard Feynman

b. 1918

American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate

Andrés Iniesta

b. 1984

Spanish footballer

Eric Burdon

b. 1941

English musician

Louis Farrakhan

b. 1933

American religious leader

Deaths

  • 2001Douglas Adams, English novelist and screenwriter
  • 1981Bob Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1927Juan Gris, Spanish painter and sculptor
  • 1916Karl Schwarzschild, German astronomer and physicist : xix
  • 1812Spencer Perceval, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  • 912Leo VI the Wise, Byzantine Emperor, the second ruler of the Macedonian dynasty

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Anthimus of Rome
  • —Christian feast day: Gangulphus of Burgundy
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed John Rochester
  • —Christian feast day: Ignatius of Laconi
  • —Christian feast day: Majolus of Cluny
  • —Christian feast day: Mamertus, the first of the Ice Saints

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