Pope John Paul II declared February 11 as World Day of the Sick, aligning it with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, to highlight the suffering of the sick and those who care for them.
📍 Vatican City
Taylor Lautner, American actor best known for playing Jacob Black in the *Twilight* film series, was born. He became a major teen icon and pop culture figure of the 2000s.
📍 Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison after 27 years of incarceration, signaling the beginning of the end for apartheid in South Africa and a new era of democracy.
📍 Cape Town, South Africa
UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared her intention to abolish the Greater London Council, a move seen as politically motivated and centralizing power in the national government.
📍 London, United Kingdom
The Islamic Revolution culminated with Ayatollah Khomeini officially taking control of Iran, overthrowing the Shah's regime and establishing an Islamic republic.
📍 Tehran, Iran
A national referendum in Iran granted women the right to vote for the first time, as part of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s White Revolution reforms.
📍 Tehran, Iran
Following backlash over Britain’s role in the failed Suez invasion of Egypt, Prime Minister Anthony Eden resigned, signaling the decline of British imperial influence.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Hamilton Watch Company released the Ventura, the world's first electric watch powered by a battery, marking a milestone in wearable technology and modern horology.
📍 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) convened for the first time, establishing one of the six principal organs of the United Nations to coordinate international economic and social policy.
📍 London, United Kingdom
The United Nations established UNICEF as an emergency relief agency to aid children after WWII. It evolved into a permanent organization promoting child welfare worldwide.
📍 New York City, United States
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Korematsu v. United States that Japanese-American internment camps were constitutional during wartime, a decision later criticized and formally disavowed decades later.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his first 'Fireside Chat' via radio, establishing a new model of direct communication between U.S. presidents and the public during national crises.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The Lateran Treaty was signed between Italy and the Holy See, officially establishing Vatican City as an independent sovereign entity and resolving the 'Roman Question'.
📍 Rome, Italy
The League of Nations, the world's first international peacekeeping organization, convened its inaugural session in Paris following World War I, laying groundwork for future global governance.
📍 Paris, France
Claude Monet's iconic 'Water Lilies' series was exhibited publicly for the first time, helping establish Impressionism as a defining movement in modern art.
📍 Paris, France
Beulah Louise Henry, known for her prolific innovations and nicknamed 'Lady Edison', was born. She received over 40 patents and contributed to fields ranging from typewriters to toys.
📍 Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Thomas Edison patented the phonograph, the first machine capable of recording and reproducing sound, revolutionizing music, communication, and the audio industry.
📍 Menlo Park, New Jersey, United States
Japan celebrated its first official National Foundation Day (Kenkoku Kinen no Hi), marking the legendary ascension of Emperor Jimmu, a symbol of national unity and imperial tradition.
📍 Tokyo, Japan
The U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Red Rover, the first American hospital ship, which played a vital role in treating wounded soldiers during the Civil War.
📍 Mississippi River, United States
Thomas Edison, the American inventor and businessman behind innovations such as the electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera, was born in Milan, Ohio.
📍 Milan, Ohio, United States