Today in History: February 11, Nelson Mandela released from prison

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 11, the 42nd time of 2025. There are 323 days near successful the year.

Today successful history:

On Feb. 11, 1990, South African anti-apartheid activistic Nelson Mandela was freed aft 27 years successful prison. (Mandela would beryllium elected president of South Africa 4 years later.)

Also connected this date:

In 1847, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was calved successful Milan, Ohio.

In 1937, a 6-week-old sit-down onslaught against General Motors ended, with the institution agreeing to admit and negociate with the United Auto Workers union.

In 1945, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet person Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement, successful which Stalin agreed to state warfare against Imperial Japan pursuing Nazi Germany’s capitulation.

In 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected person of Britain’s absorption Conservative Party.

In 1990, successful 1 of the biggest upsets successful sports history, 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas knocked retired the antecedently undefeated heavyweight champion Mike Tyson astatine Japan’s Tokyo Dome.

In 2008, the Pentagon charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (HAH’-leed shayk moh-HAH’-med) and 5 different detainees astatine Guantanamo Bay with execution and warfare crimes successful transportation with the Sept. 11 attacks.

In 2011, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned successful the aftermath of pro-democracy protests, ending 3 decades of authoritarian rule.

In 2012, singing superstar Whitney Houston was recovered dormant successful a edifice country bathtub successful Beverly Hills, California, connected the eve of the Grammy Awards; she was 48.

In 2013, during a regular greeting gathering of Vatican cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI announced helium would resign arsenic pope effectual Feb. 28; it was the archetypal papal resignation successful astir 600 years.

In 2020, the World Health Organization gave the authoritative sanction of COVID-19 to the illness caused by the coronavirus that had emerged successful the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.

Today’s birthdays:

• Actor Tina Louise is 91.
• Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is 72.
• Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is 63.
• Musician Sheryl Crow is 63.
• Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is 61.
• Actor Jennifer Aniston is 56.
• Actor Damian Lewis is 54.
• Surfer Kelly Slater is 53.
• Musician D’Angelo is 51.
• Singer-actor Brandy is 46.
• Singer Kelly Rowland is 44.
• Actor Natalie Dormer is 43.
• Actor Taylor Lautner is 33.
• Singer-songwriter Khalid is 27.