1. On August 11, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln authorized the recruitment of 500,000 volunteers for the Union Army, leading to the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic.
2. In 1909, on August 11, a group of twenty-four women founded the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority at Howard University in Washington D.C. as a social organization focused on community service and political activism.
3. August 11, 1934, saw the dedication of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall. The memorial features a 19-foot statue of Jefferson surrounded by his famous quotes inscribed on walls of the memorial.
4. On August 11, 1954, the U.S. Congress passed the Legislative Reorganization Act, which created the Committee on House Administration. This committee manages the day-to-day operations of the House of Representatives, including overseeing the Capitol building and grounds.
5. August 11, 1965, was the start of a three-day race riot in the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Watts in Los Angeles. The riot resulted in 34 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and over $40 million in damage, making it one of the deadliest and costliest riots in American history.