This Day In History : May 11

1949 Israel

Israel joins the United Nations

On 11 May 1949, the General Assembly by the requisite two-thirds majority approved the application to admit Israel to the UN by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 273.

Also on This Day in History May 11

Discover what happened on May 11 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, May 11
  • 1875 Harriet Quimby

    American pioneering aviator, 1st woman in the US to receive a pilot certificate and to cross the English Channel

  • 1927 Anthony Hollis

    British High Court Judge

  • 1963 Natasha Richardson

    English Actress

  • 1964 Katie Wagner

    American TV personality, model, entertainment reporter (MTV)

  • 1950 John Kelly

    American General, President Trump's Chief of Staff (2017-)

Deaths on This Day, May 11
  • 1778 William Pitt the Elder

    British Prime Minister (Whig, 1756-61, 66-68) known as the `Great Commoner'

  • 1962 Hans Luther

    German politician (Chancellor, 1925-6)

  • 1988 Kim Philby (1912-1988)

    British spy and Soviet mole who was a member of the "Cambridge Five"

  • 1991 Ho Dam

    North Korean Politician Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1970-83

  • 1891 Edmond Becquerel

    French physicist who studied the solar spectrum, magnetism, electricity and optics (photovoltaic effect)

1820

HMS Beagle Launches

Launch of HMS Beagle, the ship that would later take a young Charles Darwin on his famous scientific voyage
1910

Glacier National Park in Montana is established by an act of the U.S. Congress

Glacier was established as a national park on May 11, 1910, America’s 10th national park. Early newspapers touted its alpine scenery and numerus glaciers as reasons to visit the park.
1858

Minnesota is admitted as the 32nd U.S. State

On May 11, 1858, Minnesota officially became the 32nd state to be admitted into the Union. Its entry marked another milestone in the expansion of the United States from the original 13 states to the current 50.
1502

Christopher Columbus leaves Cadiz for his fourth and final trip to America

On May 11, 1502, Christopher Columbus set out on his fourth and final voyage to the New World with a fleet of four ships.
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