On This Day in History – October 11

Major Events

• 1138 – A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, killing tens of thousands.
• 1582 – In countries adopting the Gregorian calendar, October 11 did not exist (Oct 4 was followed by Oct 15).
• 1797 – The USS Constitution was launched in Boston Harbor.
• 1852 – The University of Sydney, the oldest university in Australia, was inaugurated.
• 1899 – The Second Boer War began in South Africa between Britain and Boer republics.
• 1968 – Apollo 7 was launched, the first successful crewed Apollo mission.
• 1975 – Saturday Night Live premiered on NBC.
• 1984 – Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space.

Famous Birthdays

• Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) – First Lady of the United States, diplomat, human rights activist.
• Charles XII of Sweden (1682–1718) – Swedish king and military leader.
• Henry John Heinz (1844–1919) – American businessman, founder of the H. J. Heinz Company.
• Jerome Robbins (1918–1998) – American choreographer and director.
• Art Blakey (1919–1990) – American jazz drummer and bandleader.
• Daryl Hall (born 1946) – American musician, Hall & Oates.
• Joan Cusack (born 1962) – American actress.
• Luke Perry (1966–2019) – American actor.
• Emily Deschanel (born 1976) – American actress.
• Cardi B (born 1992) – American rapper.

Notable Deaths

• Meredith Willson (1902–1984) – American composer (The Music Man).
• Chico Marx (1887–1961) – American comedian, Marx Brothers.
• Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) – Former U.S. First Lady.
• Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) – French poet, playwright, and filmmaker.
• Corey Monteith (1982–2013) – Canadian actor and musician.

Holidays

• International Day of the Girl Child (United Nations)
• General Pulaski Memorial Day (United States)

Fun Facts

• Saturday Night Live first aired on this day in 1975.
• Kathryn Sullivan made history as the first American woman to perform a spacewalk.
• The USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides,” launched in 1797, is still afloat.