What Happened on August 11?
August 11 is National Son and Daughter Day — celebrate kids! The same date Hedy Lamarr's frequency-hopping patent was granted in 1942, Alcatraz opened as a federal prison in 1934, and a total solar eclipse wowed Europe in 1999.
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1909 — The first Lincoln penny is issued to the public
On August 11, 1909, the U.S. Mint began releasing the Lincoln cent — the first regular American coin to feature a real historical person. Read the full story →
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1934 — Alcatraz Island opens as a federal penitentiary
On August 11, 1934, the U.S. government opened a maximum-security prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay — the famous "Rock." Read the full story →
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1942 — Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil receive a secret-communication patent
On August 11, 1942, Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil were granted a U.S. patent for frequency-hopping technology that later shaped Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ideas. Read the full story →
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1965 — The Watts uprising begins in Los Angeles
On August 11, 1965, unrest erupted in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles after a traffic stop — sparking six days of upheaval that forced America to confront urban inequality. Read the full story →
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1984 — President Reagan jokes into a live microphone before a radio address
On August 11, 1984, Ronald Reagan quipped during a mic check that he had outlawed Russia and would bomb it in five minutes — a joke that leaked and sparked an international stir. Read the full story →
Famous birthdays
Alex Haley (1921–1992) · Steve Wozniak (1950) · Hulk Hogan (1953) · Chris Hemsworth (1983)
Days & observances
National Son and Daughter Day · Presidential Joke Day · Ingersoll Day · National Mountain Climbing Day