AUGUST 11 | Birthdays and Events

Notable Birthdays for August 11

James B. Longacre (1794-1869) - Engraver best known for designing the Indian Head cent.

Alex Haley (1921-1992) - Historian and author who wrote Roots: The Saga of an American Family.

Patrick Joseph McGovern (1937-2014) - Founder of the International Data Group.

Frederick W. Smith (1944-2025) - Founder of FedEx.

Steve Wozniak (1950-Still Living) - Co-founder of Apple, Inc.

Hulk Hogan (1953-2025) - Professional wrestler and television personality.

Viola Davis (1965-Still Living) - Award-winning actress in films such as Fences, The Help, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Woman King.

Memorable Events for August 11

1929 - Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs.

1934 - The first civilian prisoners arrive at Alcatraz prison.

1942 - Actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil receive a patent for a frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication system (the precursor to wireless telephones and Wi-Fi).

1972 - The last U.S. ground combat unit leaves South Vietnam.

1973 - DJ Kool Herc hosts a house party in an apartment building in The Bronx, NY, introducing rapping.

1992 - The Mall of America in Bloomington, MN opens as the largest shopping mall in the United States.