August 11 - This Day in History

August 11: General Interest
1934: Federal prisoners land on Alcatraz

A group of federal prisoners classified as "most dangerous" arrives at Alcatraz Island, a 22-acre rocky outcrop situated 1.5 miles offshore in San Francisco Bay. The convicts--the first civilian prisoners to be housed in the new high-security penitentiary--joined a few dozen military prisoners left over from the island's days as a U.S. military prison... read more


American Revolution
1718 : Sir Frederick Haldimand born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sir-frederick-haldimand-born


Automotive
1973 : "American Graffiti" released
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-graffiti-released


Civil War
1864 : Confederate General Early abandons Winchester, Virginia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/early-abandons-winchester-virginia


Cold War
1984 : Reagan jokes about "outlawing" the Soviet Union
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-jokes-about-outlawing-the-soviet-union


Crime
1980 : Carol Bundy confesses her connection to the "Sunset Slayer"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carol-bundy-confesses-her-connection-to-the-sunset-slayer


Disaster
1856 : Hurricane submerges Louisiana resort
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hurricane-submerges-louisiana-resort


General Interest
1952 : Hussein succeeds to Jordanian throne
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hussein-succeeds-to-jordanian-throne

1965 : Watts Riot begins
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/watts-riot-begins

1998 : Jonesboro schoolyard shooters guilty
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jonesboro-schoolyard-shooters-guilty


Hollywood
1973 : American Graffiti opens
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-graffiti-opens


Literary
1921 : Alex Haley's birthday
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/alex-haleys-birthday


Music
1973 : Hip Hop is born at a birthday party in the Bronx
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hip-hop-is-born-at-a-birthday-party-in-the-bronx


Old West
1806 : Meriwether Lewis is shot in the leg
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/meriwether-lewis-is-shot-in-the-leg


Presidential
1984 : Reagan jokes about bombing Russia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-jokes-about-bombing-russia


Sports
1994 : Major leaguers walk off the job
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/major-leaguers-walk-off-the-job


Vietnam War
1967 : U.S. pilots cleared to bomb Hanoi-Haiphong area
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-pilots-cleared-to-bomb-hanoi-haiphong-area

1970 : South Vietnamese troops assume responsibility for guarding border
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-troops-assume-responsibility-for-guarding-border

1972 : Last U.S. ground combat unit departs South Vietnam
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/last-us-ground-combat-unit-departs-south-vietnam


World War I
1919 : Weimar Constitution adopted in Germany
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/weimar-constitution-adopted-in-germany


World War II
1943 : Germans begin to evacuate Sicily
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-begin-to-evacuate-sicily