Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 May 6

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Today's featured article
Aaliyah (1979–2001) was an American recording artist, actress and model. At age 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and Blackground Records by her uncle, Barry Hankerson. He introduced her to R. Kelly, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed to Atlantic Records. Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million; it sold 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. In 2000, Aaliyah appeared in her first major film, Romeo Must Die. After completing Romeo Must Die, Aaliyah filmed her part in Queen of the Damned. She released her third and final album, Aaliyah, in July 2001. On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed in an airplane crash in The Bahamas after filming the music video for the single "Rock the Boat". Since then, Aaliyah's music has achieved commercial success with several posthumous releases. She has been credited for helping redefine R&B and hip hop, earning her the nickname "Princess of R&B". (more...) Recently featured: William Garrow – Flowing Hair dollar – Shadow the Hedgehog Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that in 2011 the annual festival Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden, founded in 1896 after the model of the Bayreuth Festival, opened at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (pictured) with the first performance in German of Rodion Shchedrin's opera Lolita? ... that Sanjak of Montenegro was joined to the Sanjak of Shkodra in 1514 as a unique administrative unit with a certain degree of autonomy? ... that timber from the Ruislip Woods was used in the construction of the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Westminster, and the manor of the Black Prince in Kennington? ... that Debedeavon, the Laughing King of the Accawmacke Virginia Indian tribe, and an Englishman whom he adopted named Thomas Savage, warned the settlers at Jamestown of the impending 1622 Massacre? ... that host country West Germany won the most gold medals at the 1972 Summer Paralympics, but the United States won the most total medals? ... that more than 120 archaeological sites have been found in the Econfina Creek watershed? ... that Russell and Sigurd Varian, who played childhood pranks on family guests by giving them minor electric shocks, went on to invent the klystron and become pioneers of microwave technology? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Claude Choules, the last surviving combatant of World War I, dies at the age of 110. The Conservative Party, led by Stephen Harper (pictured), wins a majority in the Canadian federal election. John Higgins defeats Judd Trump to win the World Snooker Championship. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is killed by U.S. forces at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from Air France Flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic in 2009, are recovered from the ocean floor. Pope John Paul II is beatified at a ceremony in Vatican City. Syrian unrest – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
May 6: St George's Day in Bulgaria; Đurđevdan in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia; Yuri's Day in Russia 1527 – Spanish and German troops sacked Rome, marking the symbolic end of the Italian Renaissance. 1757 – English poet Christopher Smart was admitted into St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London, beginning his six-year confinement to mental asylums. 1863 – American Civil War: The Army of Northern Virginia, led by Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson (pictured), scored a Confederate victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville near Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia. 1882 – Irish Under-Secretary Thomas Henry Burke and Irish Chief Secretary Lord Frederick Cavendish were stabbed to death by members of the radical group Irish National Invincibles as they walked through the Phoenix Park in Dublin. 1937 – The German zeppelin Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed while trying to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey, killing over 30 people on board. 2002 – Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was assassinated by Volkert van der Graaf for his controversial statements regarding Muslims. More anniversaries: May 5 – May 6 – May 7 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now May 6, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The Let L-410 Turbolet is a twin-engined short-range transport aircraft, manufactured by the Czech aircraft manufacturer LET, mostly used for passenger transport. The L-410 first flew in 1969, and with more than 1100 produced, is the most popular 19-seat plane in history.

Photo: Łukasz Golowanow

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