“The Gerry-Mander,” by Elkanah Tisdale, Boston Centinel, 1812

Today in History

• Traditional date for the founding of Japan (660 BCE)
• Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry is accused of “gerrymandering” for the first time (1812)
• The BBC produces the world’s first science fiction television program, a production of Karel Capek’s R. U. R. (1938)
• World War II: US General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed Supreme Commander of allied forces in Europe (1943)
• The first release of US prisoners of war held in North Vietnam takes place (1973)
• China ends its censorship ban on works by Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Dickens (1978)
• Iran establishes a theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1979)
• Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years (1990)
• Underdog Buster Douglas defeats Mike Tyson to win the boxing world heavyweight title (1990)
• Pluto crosses Neptune’s orbit, ending a 20-year period in which it was closer to the Sun than that planet (1999)
• US Vice President Dick Cheney shoots Harry Whittington by accident during a quail hunt (2006)

Birthdays

• Thomas Edison, inventor (1847)
• Leo Szilard, physicist (1898)
• Max Baer, boxer (1909)
• Joseph L. Mankiewicz, filmmaker (19090)
• Sidney Sheldon, author and screenwriter (1917)
• Eva Gabor, actress and socialite (1919)
• Farouk, Egyptian monarch (1920)
• Kim Stanley, actress (1925)
• Leslie Nielsen, actor (1926)
• Tina Louise, actress (1934)
• Manuel Noriega, Panamanian leader (1934)
• Mary Quant, fashion designer (1934)
• Gene Vincent, singer and guitarist (1935)
• Burt Reynolds, actor (1936)
• Sérgio Mendes, pianist and composer (1941)
• Sheryl Crow, singer-songwriter (1962)
• Sarah Palin, politician (1964)
• Jennifer Aniston, actress (1969)

Deaths

• René Descartes, philosopher (1650)
• Sergei Eisenstein, filmmaker (1948)
• Sylvia Plath,poet (1963)
• Lee J. Cobb, actor (1976)
• Eleanor Powell, actress and dancer (1982)
• Frank Herbert, author of Dune (1986)
• William Conrad, actor (1994)
• Roger Vadim, filmmaker (2000)
• Whitney Houston, singer-songwriter (2012)
• Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach (2015)

Holidays and Celebrations

• 112 Day (European Union)
• Armed Forces Day (Libya)
• Day of Revenue Service (Azerbaijan)
• Evelio Javier Day (Panay, Philippines)
• Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (Roman Catholic Church)
• World Day of the Sick
• Inventor’s Day (US)
• National Foundation Day (Japan)
• Youth Day (Cameroon)

 February 11 is the 42nd day of the year. There are 323 days (324 in leap years) remaining until the end of the year.