On This Day for February 11 - St. Bernadette's first visions of Mary at Lourdes, René Descartes is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. February 11 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY René Descartes READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1858 St. Bernadette's first visions of Mary at Lourdes READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2012: American rhythm-and-blues singer Whitney Houston—who emerged as a pop superstar in the 1980s, especially known for her soaring voice—died at age 48. [Test your knowledge of pop music.] 2011: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after nearly 30 years in power, following mass demonstrations that were part of the pro-democracy uprisings known as the Arab Spring. [ Take our Egypt since the pharaohs quiz.] 1975: British politician Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservative Party, replacing Edward Heath; she became Europe's first woman prime minister in 1979. [ Test your knowledge of notable prime ministers.] 1969: American actress Jennifer Aniston, who achieved stardom on the popular television sitcom Friends (1994–2004) and launched a successful film career, was born. [ Test your knowledge of famous actors.] 1964: Sarah Palin—who, as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, was the first woman to appear on a Republican presidential ticket—was born. [Read about seven female firsts in U.S. politics.] 1847: American inventor Thomas Edison, who, singly or jointly, held a world record of 1,093 patents and who played a critical role in introducing the modern age of electricity, was born. [Take our inventors and inventions quiz.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1969 Jennifer Aniston American actress 1847 Thomas Edison American inventor 1953 Jeb Bush American politician 1964 Sarah Palin American politician 1971 Damian Lewis British actor 1915 Richard Wesley Hamming American mathematician SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help