February 11th:

1990- Nelson Mandela released after 27 years imprisonment in South Africa

1975- Margaret Thatcher defeats Edward Heath for leadership of the British Conservative Party

1543- Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and English King Henry VIII sign anti-French covenant

1766- Stamp Act declared unconstitutional in Virginia

1790- Society of Friends petitions Congress for abolition of slavery

1794- 1st session of US Senate open to the public

1814- Norway’s independence proclaimed

1837- American Physiological Society organizes in Boston

1878- 1st weekly weather report published in UK

1938- World’s first science fiction TV program – a broadcast of the play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek

1942- “Archie” comic book debuts

1951- Kwame Nkrumah wins 1st parliamentary election in the Gold Coast (Ghana)

My source and more facts at On This Day