On This Day — February 19

🕰️ Notable Events on February 19

• 2012 — Forty-four people are killed in a prison brawl in Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico. Wikipedia ↗
• 2011 — The debut exhibition of the Belitung shipwreck, containing the largest collection of Tang dynasty artefacts found in one location, begins in Singapore. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — A methane explosion in a coal mine near Nueva Rosita, Mexico, kills 65 miners. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — An Ilyushin Il-76 military aircraft crashes near Kerman, Iran, killing 275. Wikipedia ↗
• 2002 — NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of Mars using its thermal emission imaging system. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Akkaraipattu massacre: the Sri Lankan Army massacres 80 Tamil farm workers in eastern Sri Lanka. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — William J. Schroeder becomes the first recipient of an artificial heart to leave hospital. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Iberia Airlines Boeing 727 crashes into Mount Oiz in Spain, killing 148. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Egyptian forces raid Larnaca International Airport in an attempt to intervene in a hijacking, without authorisation from the Republic of Cyprus authorities. The Cypriot National Guard and Police forces kill 15 Egyptian commandos and destroy the Egyptian C-130 transport plane in open combat. Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Executive Order 9066, which led to the relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps, is rescinded by President Gerald Ford's Proclamation 4417. Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and a communist spy of the North Vietnamese Viet Minh, along with Generals Lâm Văn Phát and Trần Thiện Khiêm, all Catholics, attempt a coup against the military junta of the Buddhist Nguyễn Khánh. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — The publication of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique reawakens the feminist movement in the United States as women's organizations and consciousness raising groups spread. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — China successfully launches the T-7, its first sounding rocket. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — The United Kingdom grants Cyprus independence, which is formally proclaimed on August 16, 1960. Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Censorship: Georgia approves the first literature censorship board in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Ezra Pound is awarded the first Bollingen Prize in poetry by the Bollingen Foundation and Yale University. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — The Conference of Youth and Students of Southeast Asia Fighting for Freedom and Independence convenes in Calcutta. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: Battle of Iwo Jima: About 30,000 United States Marines land on the island of Iwo Jima. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — World War II: Battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Nearly 250 Japanese warplanes attack the northern Australian city of Darwin, killing 243 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs executive order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese Americans to internment camps. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Yekatit 12: During a public ceremony at the Viceregal Palace (the former Imperial residence) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, two Ethiopian nationalists of Eritrean origin attempt to kill viceroy Rodolfo Graziani with a number of grenades. Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — World War I: The first naval attack on the Dardanelles begins when a strong Anglo-French task force bombards Ottoman artillery along the coast of Gallipoli. Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Pedro Lascuráin becomes President of Mexico for 45 minutes; this is the shortest term to date of any person as president of any country. Wikipedia ↗
• 1884 — More than sixty tornadoes strike the Southern United States, one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Thomas Edison patents the phonograph. Wikipedia ↗
• 1859 — Daniel E. Sickles, a New York Congressman, is acquitted of murder on grounds of temporary insanity. This is the first time this defense is successfully used in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1847 — The first group of rescuers reaches the Donner Party. Wikipedia ↗
• 1846 — In Austin, Texas the newly formed Texas state government is officially installed. The Republic of Texas government officially transfers power to the State of Texas government following the annexation of Texas by the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1819 — British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands and claims them in the name of King George III. Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — Former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr is arrested for treason in Wakefield, Alabama and confined to Fort Stoddert. Wikipedia ↗
• 1726 — The Supreme Privy Council is established in Russia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1674 — England and the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Westminster, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War. A provision of the agreement transfers the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam to England, and it is renamed New York. Wikipedia ↗
• 1649 — The Second Battle of Guararapes takes place, effectively ending Dutch colonization efforts in Brazil. Wikipedia ↗
• 1600 — The Peruvian stratovolcano Huaynaputina explodes in the most violent eruption in the recorded history of South America. Wikipedia ↗
• 1594 — Having already been elected to the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1587, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa is crowned King of Sweden, having succeeded his father John III of Sweden in 1592. Wikipedia ↗
• 356 — Emperor Constantius II issues a decree closing all pagan temples in the Roman Empire. Wikipedia ↗
• 197 — Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum, the bloodiest battle between Roman armies. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on February 19

• 2004 — Millie Bobby Brown, English actress and model Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — David Mazouz, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Katharina Gerlach, German tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Sam Lisone, New Zealand-Samoan rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Tiina Trutsi, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Mauro Icardi, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Victoria Justice, American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Sander Pärn, Estonian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Jelena Simić, Bosnian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Christoph Kramer, German national footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Trevor Bayne, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Shawn Matthias, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Seth Morrison, American guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Anna Cappellini, Italian ice dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Kyle Chipchura, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Marta, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Maria Mena, Norwegian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Michael Schwimer, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Haylie Duff, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Chris Richardson, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Kotoōshū Katsunori, Bulgarian sumo wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Mika Nakashima, Japanese singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Ryan Whitney, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Beth Ditto, American singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Dwight Freeney, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Ma Lin, Chinese table tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Mike Miller, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Steve Cherundolo, American soccer player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Ben Gummer, English scholar and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Immortal Technique, Peruvian-American rapper Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Ola Salo, Swedish singer-songwriter and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Andrew Ross Sorkin, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Gianluca Zambrotta, Italian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Daniel Adair, Canadian drummer and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Daewon Song, South Korean-American skateboarder, co-founded Almost Skateboards Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Francine Fournier, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Sunset Thomas, American pornographic actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Miguel Batista, Dominican baseball player and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Richard Green, Australian golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Jeff Kinney, American author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Joacim Cans, Swedish singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Burton C. Bell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Helena Guergis, Canadian businesswoman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Frank Watkins, American bass player (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Prince Markie Dee, American rapper and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Benicio del Toro, Puerto Rican-American actor, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Justine Bateman, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Paul Haarhuis, Dutch tennis player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Eduardo Xol, American designer and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Jon Fishman, American drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Clark Hunt, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Leroy, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Doug Aldrich, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Jonathan Lethem, American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Seal, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Jessica Tuck, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Hana Mandlíková, Czech-Australian tennis player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Justin Fashanu, English footballer (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Prince Andrew, Duke of York Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — John Paul, Jr., American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Roger Goodell, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Tommy Cairo, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Helen Fielding, English author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Steve Nieve, English keyboard player and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Falco, Austrian singer-songwriter, rapper, and musician (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Dave Stewart, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Ray Winstone, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Kathleen Beller, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Peter Holsapple, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Roderick MacKinnon, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Dave Wakeling, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Jeff Daniels, American actor and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Sócrates, Brazilian footballer and manager (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Francis Buchholz, German bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Michael Gira, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Corrado Barazzutti, Italian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 52nd President of Argentina Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Massimo Troisi, Italian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Ryū Murakami, Japanese novelist and filmmaker Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Rodolfo Neri Vela, Mexican engineer and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Gary Seear, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Amy Tan, American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Danilo Türk, Slovene academic and politician, 3rd President of Slovenia Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, Pakistani scholar and politician, founder of Minhaj-ul-Quran Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Juice Leskinen, Finnish singer-songwriter (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Andy Powell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Danielle Bunten Berry, American game designer and programmer (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Eddie Hardin, English singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — William Messner-Loebs, American author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Mark Andes, American singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Pim Fortuyn, Dutch sociologist, academic, and politician (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Tony Iommi, English guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Jackie Curtis, American actress and playwright (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Tim Shadbolt, New Zealand businessman and politician, 42nd Mayor of Invercargill Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Paul Dean, Canadian guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Peter Hudson, Australian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Karen Silkwood, American technician and activist (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Yuri Antonov, Uzbek-Russian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Les Hinton, English-American journalist and businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Lou Christie, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Homer Hickam, American author and engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Tim Hunt, English biochemist and academic, Nobel laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Cyrus Chothia emeritus scientist at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Paul Krause, American football player and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Howard Stringer, Welsh businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Will Provine, American biologist, historian, and academic (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — David Gross, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Jenny Tonge, Baroness Tonge, English politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmen engineer and politician, 1st President of Turkmenistan (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Smokey Robinson, American singer-songwriter and producer (The Miracles) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Bobby Rogers, American singer-songwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Erin Pizzey, English activist and author, founded Refuge Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Choekyi Gyaltsen, 10th Panchen Lama (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Terry Carr, American author and educator (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Norm O'Neill, Australian cricketer and sportscaster (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Sam Myers, American singer-songwriter (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Frederick Seidel, American poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Dave Niehaus, American sportscaster (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Joseph P. Kerwin, American captain, physician, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — John Frankenheimer, American director and producer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Kasinathuni Viswanath, Indian actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Jacques Deray, French director and screenwriter (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Philippe Boiry, French journalist (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — György Kurtág, Hungarian composer and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — David Bronstein, Ukrainian chess player and theoretician (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Lee Marvin, American actor (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Władysław Bartoszewski, Polish journalist and politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — C. Z. Guest, American actress, fashion designer, and author (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Jaan Kross, Estonian author and poet (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — George Rose, English actor and singer (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Carson McCullers, American novelist, short story writer, playwright, and essayist (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Eddie Arcaro, American jockey and sportscaster (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — John Freeman, English lawyer, politician, and diplomat, British Ambassador to the United States (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Dorothy Janis, American actress (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Merle Oberon, Indian-American actress (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Havank, Dutch journalist and author (d. 1964) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Elisabeth Welch, American-English singer and actress (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Kay Boyle, American novelist, short story writer, and educator (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Lucio Fontana, Argentinian-Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — Alma Rubens, American actress (d. 1931) Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — André Breton, French poet and author (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
• 1895 — Louis Calhern, American actor (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Cedric Hardwicke, English actor and director (d. 1964) Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — José Eustasio Rivera, Colombian lawyer and poet (d. 1928) Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — José Abad Santos, Filipino lawyer and jurist, 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (d. 1942) Wikipedia ↗
• 1880 — Álvaro Obregón, Mexican general and politician, 39th President of Mexico (d. 1928) Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Harriet Bosse, Swedish-Norwegian actress (d. 1961) Wikipedia ↗
• 1877 — Gabriele Münter, German painter (d. 1962) Wikipedia ↗
• 1876 — Constantin Brâncuși, Romanian-French sculptor, painter, and photographer (d. 1957) Wikipedia ↗
• 1872 — Johan Pitka, Estonian admiral (d. 1944) Wikipedia ↗
• 1869 — Hovhannes Tumanyan, Armenian-Russian poet and author (d. 1923) Wikipedia ↗
• 1865 — Sven Hedin, Swedish geographer and explorer (d. 1952) Wikipedia ↗
• 1859 — Svante Arrhenius, Swedish physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1927) Wikipedia ↗
• 1855 — Nishinoumi Kajirō I, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 16th Yokozuna (d. 1908) Wikipedia ↗
• 1841 — Elfrida Andrée, Swedish organist, composer, and conductor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1833 — Élie Ducommun, Swiss journalist and activist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1906) Wikipedia ↗
• 1821 — August Schleicher, German linguist and academic (d. 1868) Wikipedia ↗
• 1804 — Carl von Rokitansky, German physician, pathologist, and philosopher (d. 1878) Wikipedia ↗
• 1800 — Émilie Gamelin, Canadian nun and social worker, founded the Sisters of Providence (d. 1851) Wikipedia ↗
• 1798 — Allan MacNab, Canadian soldier, lawyer, and politician, Premier of Canada West (d. 1862) Wikipedia ↗
• 1743 — Luigi Boccherini, Italian cellist and composer (d. 1805) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on February 19 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on February 19

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Mùng ba Tết Nguyên Đán (VN) · Third day of Lunar New Year (HK) · 春節 (TW) · 春节 (CN) · 農曆年初三 (HK)