February 6
February 6
Ronald Reagan born
On February 6, future president Ronald Reagan is born in Tampico, Illinois. As the 40th president of the United States, the former movie star was called the “Great Communicator” for…
A Year In History: 1911
This Year in History:
1911
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
March 18
March 18
Irving Berlin copyrights the biggest pop song of the early 20th century
On March 18, 1911, composer Irving Berlin copyrights “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” the multimillion‑selling smash hit that helped turn American popular music into a major international phenomenon, both culturally and economically.…
March 25
March 25
Triangle Shirtwaist fire kills 146 in New York City
In one of the darkest moments of America’s industrial history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City burns, killing 146 workers, on March 25, 1911. The tragedy led…
May 21
May 21
French troops occupy Fez, sparking second Moroccan Crisis
Six years after the First Moroccan Crisis, during which Kaiser Wilhelm’s sensational appearance in Morocco provoked international outrage and led to a strengthening of the bonds between Britain and France…
May 23
May 23
New York Public Library dedicated
In a ceremony presided over by President William Howard Taft, the New York Public Library, the largest marble structure ever constructed in the United States, is dedicated in New York…
May 30
May 30
First Indianapolis 500 held
On May 30, 1911, Ray Harroun drives his single‑seater Marmon Wasp to victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500, now one of the world’s most famous motor racing competitions. The Indiana…
July 5
July 5
Heat wave strikes Northeast, killing hundreds
On July 5, 1911, the mercury in Nashua, New Hampshire peaks at 106 degrees Fahrenheit, one of many record temperatures that are set in the northeastern United States as a…
July 24
July 24
American historian encounters Machu Picchu ruins
On July 24, 1911, American history scholar Hiram Bingham gets his first look at the ruins of Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the…
August 6
August 6
Lucille Ball is born
On August 6, 1911, Lucille Desiree Ball, one of America’s most famous redheads and beloved comic actresses, is born near Jamestown, New York. At age 15, Ball went to New…
August 20
August 20
Blazingly fast around‑the‑world telegram sent, 66 years before Voyager II launch
On August 20, 1911, a dispatcher in the New York Times office sends a blazingly fast telegram around the world via commercial service. Exactly 66 years later, the National Aeronautics…
August 22
August 22
Theft of “Mona Lisa” is discovered
An amateur painter sets up his easel near Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, only to discover that the masterpiece is missing. Earlier in the day,…
August 29
August 29
Ishi discovered in California
Early in the morning of August 29, 1911, two butchers hear dogs barking in the corral of their slaughterhouse outside Oroville, California. When they go out to check, they encounter…
September 7
September 7
Guillaume Apollinaire is arrested for stealing the Mona Lisa
French poet Guillaume Apollinaire is arrested and jailed on suspicion of stealing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris. The 31‑year‑old poet was known for his…
November 1
November 1
World’s first aerial bomb is dropped over Libya
On November 1, 1911, Italian army lieutenant Giulio Gavotti, while flying over Libya, tosses three grenades out of his plane over a Turkish camp, effectively dropping the world’s first aerial…
November 27
November 27
White House housekeeper frets over William Howard Taft’s waistline
On November 27, 1911, Elizabeth Jaffray, a White House housekeeper, writes in her diary about a conversation she’d had with President William Howard Taft and his wife about the commander…
December 14
December 14
Roald Amundsen becomes first explorer to reach the South Pole
On December 14, 1911, Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating his British rival, Robert Falcon Scott. Amundsen, born in Borge, near Oslo, in…
