1724day.year
Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin, a highwayman known for attacking "Thief-Taker General" (and thief) Jonathan Wild at the Old Bailey, is hanged in London.
Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin, a notorious highwayman who attacked Jonathan Wild, was hanged at the Old Bailey in 1724.
Joseph Blake, known by his alias Blueskin, was a notorious English highwayman.
He gained infamy for his attempts to rob Jonathan Wild, the infamous Thief-Taker General, at the Old Bailey in London.
After being captured, Blake stood trial at the Old Bailey, where evidence of his crimes was presented.
On November 11, 1724, he was convicted and sentenced to hanging.
His execution drew a large crowd and was widely reported in the pamphlets and broadsides of the time.
Blake's daring exploits and dramatic end contributed to the folklore of highwaymen in 18th-century England.
1724
Joseph Blake
Jonathan Wild
Old Bailey
1750day.year
The F.H.C. Society, also known as the Flat Hat Club, is formed at Raleigh Tavern, Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the first college fraternity.
The F.H.C. Society, later called the Flat Hat Club, was founded in 1750 at Raleigh Tavern as America’s first college fraternity.
On November 11, 1750, students at the College of William & Mary gathered in the Raleigh Tavern to establish the F.H.C. Society, later nicknamed the Flat Hat Club.
Recognized as America's first collegiate fraternity, it provided a forum for intellectual debate, camaraderie, and social networking among its members.
Membership was secretive, and members wore mortarboard hats—hence the name Flat Hat.
The society held meetings, debates, and social events, laying the foundation for Greek-letter organizations.
Although the original club disbanded during the American Revolution, its legacy influenced the formation of later fraternities.
Today, the Flat Hat Club is remembered as a pioneering step in American higher education traditions.
Flat Hat Club
Williamsburg, Virginia
1831day.year
In Jerusalem, Virginia, Nat Turner is hanged after inciting a violent slave uprising.
Nat Turner, leader of a violent slave rebellion, was executed by hanging in Jerusalem, Virginia, in 1831.
On November 11, 1831, Nat Turner, the enslaved preacher who led a deadly uprising in Southampton County, Virginia, was hanged after being tried and convicted of insurrection.
Turner's rebellion had begun in August and resulted in the deaths of approximately sixty white inhabitants.
Captured weeks later, Turner was interrogated and became a symbol of resistance to the institution of slavery.
His execution was carried out in the nearby town of Jerusalem (now Courtland), witnessed by a large crowd.
The rebellion prompted a harsh crackdown on enslaved people, including stricter slave codes and increased patrols.
Nat Turner's revolt and martyrdom had a profound impact on the national debate over slavery in the United States.
1831
Jerusalem, Virginia
Nat Turner
slave uprising
1839day.year
The Virginia Military Institute is founded in Lexington, Virginia.
The Virginia Military Institute was founded in Lexington, Virginia, in 1839 as the nation’s first state-supported military college.
On November 11, 1839, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) was established by the Virginia General Assembly in Lexington, Virginia.
Modeled after military academies such as West Point, VMI was created to provide structured military education to young men.
The institute adopted a rigorous curriculum combining engineering, liberal arts, and military science.
Cadets lived on campus under strict discipline, wearing distinctive uniforms and following daily drills.
VMI graduates later served prominently in the American Civil War and other conflicts.
Over the decades, VMI grew into a storied institution, known for its Lieutenant of Virginia graduates and lasting traditions.
1839
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia
1919day.year
The Industrial Workers of the World attack an Armistice Day parade in Centralia, Washington, ultimately resulting in the deaths of five people.
During Centralia’s Armistice Day parade in 1919, a clash between the IWW and U.S. veterans led to a deadly shootout.
Tensions between members of the Industrial Workers of the World and local veterans escalated when both groups converged on Centralia’s annual parade. A confrontation in front of the lumber hall triggered gunfire, leaving five people dead, including two veterans. The violent episode became known as the Centralia Massacre and fueled nationwide debates over labor radicalism and veterans’ rights. Authorities arrested dozens of IWW members; one was executed following a controversial trial. The incident scarred the town’s history, leading to memorials for both sides. It remains a poignant example of post-war social unrest and the fraught aftermath of World War I.
1919
Industrial Workers of the World
attack
Armistice Day
Centralia, Washington
1934day.year
The Shrine of Remembrance is opened in Melbourne, Australia.
Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, built to honor WWI servicemen, was officially opened.
On November 11, 1934, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne was formally unveiled to commemorate Australians who served in World War I.
Designed by architects Philip Hudson and James Wardrop, its classical form echoes the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
The Stone of Remembrance and the Sanctuary house the Roll of Honour listing 102,000 names.
Over time, the memorial has come to honor all Australians who have served in conflict.
It remains the focal point for ANZAC Day dawn services and a symbol of national heritage.
1934
Shrine of Remembrance
Melbourne
1942day.year
The Turkish parliament passes the Varlık Vergisi, a capital tax mostly levied on non-Muslim citizens with the unofficial aim to inflict financial ruin on them and end their prominence in the country's economy.
Turkey passed the Varlık Vergisi wealth tax, disproportionately targeting non-Muslim citizens and devastating their finances.
On November 11, 1942, the Turkish Grand National Assembly enacted the Varlık Vergisi, a wartime capital tax law.
Officially intended to bolster state revenues, it imposed vastly higher rates on Jews, Greeks, and Armenians.
Many affected were forced to liquidate assets at below-market values or sent to labor camps in eastern Turkey.
The tax led to a rapid transfer of wealth and business ownership to Muslim citizens.
It remains a controversial episode highlighting the intersection of law, economy, and minority rights in Turkey.
Turkish parliament
Varlık Vergisi
1992day.year
The General Synod of the Church of England votes to allow women to become priests.
The Church of England’s General Synod voted to allow women to become priests on November 11, 1992.
After decades of theological debate and ecclesiastical discussion, the General Synod of the Church of England approved the ordination of women as priests on November 11, 1992. The historic vote ended a long-standing prohibition and opened the door for women to serve in all levels of Anglican ministry. Supporters hailed the decision as a breakthrough for gender equality within the Church, while opponents cited concerns over tradition and doctrine. The first women priests were ordained in 1994, marking a transformative moment in the Church’s history. The measure also sparked broader conversations about the role of women in global Christianity and set a precedent for other Anglican provinces.
1992
General Synod of the Church of England