Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/May 11

This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/May 11.

To report an error when this list is currently on the Main Page, see Main Page errors. Please remember that this list defers to the supporting articles, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding May 11 article, see Talk:May 11 instead.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?: A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.

As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.

Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.

Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.

Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?

A2: The short, basic reason is the systemic bias of Wikipedia. There are not enough good, well-written articles on 19th-century and earlier events for all 365 days in the year. Currently, a majority of users seem to be generally more interested in writing articles about recent events. If you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q3: This page seems to be biased toward events based in [Insert country or region here]. What can be done about it?

A3: This again is attributed to the systemic bias of Wikipedia. Many users are generally more interested in working on good, well-written articles pertaining to their home country. Since this is the English Wikipedia, there will be more English-speaking users, and thus more articles pertaining to English-speaking countries. And if there are more users who are from the United States, there will probably be more well-written articles about events based in the United States. Again, if you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?

A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.

Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?

A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.

Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?

A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:

Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.

Today's featured article for May 11, 2025
Meghan Trainor "Mother" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor (pictured) from the deluxe edition of her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). She wrote the song with Sean Douglas, and its producers, Gian Stone and her brother Justin. Epic Records released it as the lead single on March 27, 2023. A pop song with doo-wop influences, it interpolates "Mr. Sandman". Inspired by men who said Trainor's pregnancy would end her career, the song is about women's empowerment; she asks the male subject to stop mansplaining and to listen to her. Critics were complimentary about the composition but criticized the use of the term "mother". The song reached the top 30 in Belgium, Ireland, Suriname, and the United Kingdom. Charm La'Donna directed the music video, which stars Kris Jenner; critics praised the fashion choices and described it as glamorous. Trainor performed the song on Today, Capital's Summertime Ball, and the Timeless Tour (2024). (This article* is part of a featured topic: Takin' It Back.)* Archive By email More featured articles About view – talk – edit – history – watch
Picture of the day for May 11, 2025
The featured picture for this day has not yet been chosen. In general, pictures of the day are scheduled in order of promotion to featured status. See Wikipedia:Picture of the day/Guidelines for full guidelines. create

← Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/May 10 * Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/May 12 →

As per some discussion a while back about allowing anniversaries of births to be featured on centennial years only, I'd like to feature the Salvador Dalí for the his 100th anniversary in 2004 only, and have modified the page accordingly, to be changed back afterwards. -- Infrogmation 17:43, 8 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Dalí had his day, and I've removed him from the page. Some wikipedian may wish to put him back for the 500th anniversary in 2404 and the millenial anniversary of Dalí's birth in 2904. :-) -- Infrogmation 16:34, 12 May 2004 (UTC)[reply]

How about honouring Bob Marley who died 24 years ago? -- CdaMVvWgS 19:47, 10 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

2008

How about mother's day? 05:06, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

2012 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Adolf Eichmann
Omitted: Constantinople; Blue Mountains (New South Wales); Mussel Slough Tragedy; United Malays National Organisation; Deep Blue (chess computer)
Included: Battle of Fontenoy; Spencer Perceval; Pullman Strike; Glacier National Park (U.S.); Bradford City stadium fire

—howcheng {chat} 05:57, 10 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

2013 notes

Omitted: Battle of Fontenoy; Spencer Perceval; Pullman Strike; Glacier National Park (U.S.); Bradford City stadium fire (ineligible—maintenance); Deep Blue (chess computer)
Included: Diamond Sutra (first appearance); Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition (3rd appearance; last in 2010); Blue Mountains (New South Wales) (2nd appearance, last in 2011); Minnesota (2nd appearance, last in 2010); United Malays National Organisation (3rd appearance, last in 2011); 1996 Mount Everest disaster (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 06:27, 10 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2014 notes

New articles (unused): Pokhran-II
Omitted: Diamond Sutra; Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition; 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains/Blue Mountains (New South Wales); Minnesota; 1996 Mount Everest disaster
Included: Constantinople (5th appearance, last in 2011); Battle of Fontenoy (5th appearance, last in 2012); Wham Paymaster Robbery (first appearance); David Cameron (first appearance)
Repeats: United Malays National Organisation (2nd consecutive appearance, 5 total)

—howcheng {chat} 07:03, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

2015 notes

Omitted: Constantinople; Battle of Fontenoy; Wham Paymaster Robbery; United Malays National Organisation; David Cameron
Included: Diamond Sutra (2nd appearance, last in 2013); Spencer Perceval (9th appearance, last in 2012); Mussel Slough Tragedy (2nd appearance, last in 2011); Bradford City stadium fire (2nd appearance, last in 2012; rescued from Ineligible; 30th anniversary); Pokhran-II (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 07:19, 9 May 2015 (UTC)[reply]

2016 notes

Omitted: Spencer Perceval (ineligible—TFA for 2016); Mussel Slough Tragedy; Bradford City stadium fire; Pokhran-II
Included: Battle of Fontenoy (6th appearance, last in 2014); 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains/Blue Mountains (New South Wales) (Crossing: first appearance; Mountains: 3rd appearance, last in 2013) United Malays National Organisation (5th appearance, last in 2014; 70th anniversary); 1996 Mount Everest disaster (2nd appearance, last in 2013; 20th anniversary)
Repeats: Diamond Sutra (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 15:59, 10 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

2017 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Constantinople (maintenance)
Omitted: Diamond Sutra (ineligible—maintenance); 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains (blurb also previously featured Blue Mountains (New South Wales), which is now ineligible); United Malays National Organisation (ineligible—maintenance); 1996 Mount Everest disaster (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: Assassination of Spencer Perceval (first appearance; blurb previously featured Spencer Perceval and is making its 10th appearance, last in 2015); Pullman Strike (4th appearance, last in 2012); Bradford City stadium fire (3rd appearance, last in 2015); Deep Blue (chess computer) (7th appearance, last in 2012); Leo VI the Wise (first appearance); Jane Manning James (first appearance); Natasha Richardson (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Fontenoy (2nd consecutive appearance, 7 total)

—howcheng {chat} 07:49, 11 May 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2018 notes

Omitted: Battle of Fontenoy; Assassination of Spencer Perceval; Pullman Strike; Bradford City stadium fire (ineligible—maintenance); Deep Blue (chess computer); Leo VI the Wise; Jane Manning James (moved to April 16); Natasha Richardson
Included: Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition (4th appearance, last in 2013); 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains (2nd appearance, last in 2016); Glacier National Park (U.S.) (2nd appearance, last in 2012); Pokhran-II (2nd appearance, last in 2015); David Cameron (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Baron Munchausen (first appearance); Frederick Russell Burnham (first appearance); Douglas Adams (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 15:39, 11 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2019 notes

Omitted: Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition; 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains; Glacier National Park (U.S.); Pokhran-II; David Cameron; Baron Munchausen; Frederick Russell Burnham; Douglas Adams
Included: Diamond Sutra (4th appearance, last in 2016; rescued from Ineligible); Battle of Fontenoy (8th appearance, last in 2017); Wham Paymaster robbery (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Deep Blue (chess computer) (8th appearance, last in 2017); Reyhanlı bombings (first appearance); Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (first appearance); Juliette Récamier (first appearance); Zenna Henderson (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 15:50, 13 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

2020 notes

Deleted: Leo VI the Wise (appears on September 19, his birthday)
New articles (unused): Cats (musical); William Grant Still
Omitted: Diamond Sutra; Battle of Fontenoy; Wham Paymaster robbery; Reyhanlı bombings; Johann Friedrich Blumenbach; Juliette Récamier; Zenna Henderson
Included: 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains (3rd appearance, last in 2018); Mussel Slough Tragedy (3rd appearance, last in 2015); David Cameron (3rd appearance, last in 2018; 10th anniversary); Baron Munchausen (2nd appearance, last in 2018); Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (first appearance); Doris Eaton Travis (first appearance; 10th anniversary)
Repeats: Deep Blue (chess computer) (2nd consecutive appearance, 9 total)

—howcheng {chat} 17:48, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Omitted: 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains; Mussel Slough Tragedy; Deep Blue (chess computer); David Cameron; Baron Munchausen; Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux; Doris Eaton Travis
Included: Diamond Sutra (5th appearance, last in 2019); Treaty of London (1867) (3rd appearance, last in 2009; rescued from Ineligible); Pullman Strike (5th appearance, last in 2017); Cats (musical) (first appearance; 40th anniversary); Pokhran-II (3rd appearance, last in 2018); Frank Schlesinger (first appearance; 150th birthday); Lise de Baissac (first appearance); Douglas Adams (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 20th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 06:32, 13 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

2022 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition (maintenance)
Omitted: Diamond Sutra; Treaty of London (1867); Pullman Strike; Cats (musical); Pokhran-II; Frank Schlesinger; Lise de Baissac; Douglas Adams
Included: Battle of Fontenoy (9th appearance, last in 2019); Assassination of Spencer Perceval (2nd appearance, last in 2017); Birmingham riot of 1963 (first appearance); Deep Blue (chess computer) (10th appearance, last in 2020); 2011 Lorca earthquake (first appearance); Juliette Récamier (2nd appearance, last in 2019); William Grant Still (first appearance); Abel Goumba (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 07:29, 12 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]