Today in History: Nelson Mandela is released from prison in 1990

The following is a list of 10 historical events that happened on February 11:

660 BC: Traditional date for the founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.

1858: In Lourdes, France, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous experienced her first vision of the Virgin Mary, leading to the town becoming a major pilgrimage site.

1929: The Lateran Treaty was signed between Italy and the Vatican, recognizing Vatican City as an independent sovereign state.

1943: U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed commander of the Allied forces in North Africa during World War II.

1970: Japan launched its first satellite, Ohsumi, becoming the fourth nation to put an object into orbit using its own booster.

1975: Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of the British Conservative Party, becoming the first woman to lead a major political party in the United Kingdom.

1979: The Iranian Revolution culminated with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seizing power, leading to the establishment of an Islamic theocracy in Iran.

1990: Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 27 years, marking a pivotal moment in South Africa’s transition away from apartheid.

2011: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned after mass protests, ending nearly 30 years of his rule.

2020: The World Health Organization officially named the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19.