On this day — June 11 in African history

The FIFA World Cup kicked off in South Africa, the first time football's premier tournament was held on African soil.

Athol Fugard, the South African playwright whose work exposed the human toll of apartheid, was born.

Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Nationalist riots against foreign domination broke out in Alexandria, Egypt, during the Urabi revolt, killing dozens of Europeans and hastening British military intervention.

Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Free French forces completed a fighting withdrawal from Bir Hakeim in Libya, having delayed Rommel's Axis advance during the North African campaign of World War II.

Chris McAndrew — CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant were elected as the first Black members of the British Parliament.