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On this day in history - January 11

What Happened On This Day – January 11

  • 2002 The first prisoners arrive in Guantanamo Bay

    Following reports of torture, Amnesty International called the situation at the US detention camp a “human rights scandal”.

  • 1985 The first Rock in Rio music festival is held

    A whopping 1.5 million people attended, making it the world's largest music festival.

  • 1962 A massive landslide kills 4,000 in Peru

    Nine villages in the Río Santa Valley were engulfed by a 12-meter wall of rock and ice.

  • 1935 Amelia Earhart flies solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland

    She was the first person to achieve this feat. Her journey took her from Honolulu to Oakland, California.

  • 1922 Insulin is used for the first time to treat diabetes

    14-year-old Leonard Thompson was the first person to receive the medication to combat his Type 1 diabetes.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
January 11

  • 1979 Siti Nurhaliza

    Malaysian singer-songwriter, producer

  • 1973 Rahul Dravid

    Indian cricketer

  • 1971 Mary J. Blige

    American singer-songwriter, producer, actress

  • 1934 Jean Chrétien

    Canadian politician, 20th Prime Minister of Canada

  • 1755 Alexander Hamilton

    Nevisian/American economist, politician, philosopher, 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
January 11

  • 2014 Ariel Sharon

    Israeli general, politician, 11th Prime Minister of Israel

  • 2013 Nguyen Khanh

    Vietnamese general, politician, 3rd President of South Vietnam

  • 2013 Aaron Swartz

    American computer programmer, activist

  • 2008 Edmund Hillary

    New Zealand mountaineer, explorer

  • 1941 Emanuel Lasker

    German chess player