This Day in USA History
February 19

What happened in history on this day: February 19? On February 19 in ... 1846 - Texas is admitted to the United States of America. 1847 - The first group of rescuers reach the Donner Party. 1900 - Tripartite Treaty between Great Britain, Germany, and USA is ratified. Britain gives up its right to the Samoan island chain in exchange for German concessions elsewhere. Germany gains sole control of the western portion, and the USA gains control of the eastern. 1906 - W K Kellogg and Charles D Bolin incorporate Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, Battle Creek, Michigan. 1913 - First prize inserted into a Cracker Jack box in the USA. 1913 - Mexican General V Huerta takes power in Mexico with US support. 1915 - Senate confirms R.W. Wooley as Mint Director. 1929 - Medical diathermy machine first used, in Schenectady, New York. 1934 - US contract air mail service canceled, replaced by US army for six months. 1942 - US President Franklin Roosevelt orders detention and internment of all west-coast Japanese-Americans. 1945 - 450 ships with 30,000 men of the US 4th and 5th Marine divisions begin landing on Iwo Jima to attack Japanese forces. 1945 - By the end of the day, 30,000 U.S. Marines have established a solid beachhead in Iwo Jima. 1953 - Georgia state approves first American literature censorship board. 1959 - US Air Force rocket-powered rail sled attains Mach 4.1 (4970 kph), New Mexico. 1960 - Bil Keane's Family Circus cartoon strip debuts. 1962 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1963 - The publication of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique launches the feminist movement in the United States. 1963 - USSR informs US President John Kennedy it is withdrawing several thousand troops from Cuba. 1968 - First US teachers strike (Florida). 1977 - 19th Grammy Awards: "This Masquerade", Starland Vocal Band. 1982 - The DeLorean Car factory in Belfast is put into receivership. 1985 - Canned and bottled Cherry Coke introduced by Coca-Cola. 1985 - Disney's Mickey Mouse character welcomed in China. 1985 - William Schroeder is first artificial heart patient to leave hospital. He spends 15 minutes outside Humana Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. 1987 - Anti-smoking ad airs for first time on TV in the USA, featuring Yul Brynner. 1987 - Minnesota sheriff's office arrests Thomas G Harrelson, on FBI's most wanted list. 1987 - Reagan lifts trade boycott against Poland. 1989 - Broadway's biggest flop (lost US$5.3 million) Legs Diamond closes at Mark Hellinger Theater in New York City after 64 performances. 1993 - Kenya Moore, 22, (Miss Michigan), crowned 42nd Miss USA. 1997 - US Federal Communications Commission makes available 311 for non-emergency calls and 711 for hearing or speech-impaired emergency calls. 1998 - Larry Wayne Harris of the Aryan Nations and William Leavitt are arrested in Henderson, New York, for possession of military grade anthrax. 2001 - An Oklahoma City bombing museum is dedicated at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. 2008 - A fireball and sonic boom are reported in parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. 2009 - The US Mint releases the 2009 William Henry Harrison Presidential dollar to circulation. Births on February 19 1902 - Birth of John Bubbles in Louisville, Kentucky, USA; rhythm tap dancer ("No Maps on My Taps"). 1902 - Birth of Nydia Westman in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Going My Way, Young Mr Bobbins). 1903 - Birth of Kay Boyle in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; novelist (Plagued by Nightingales). 1912 - Birth of Stan Kenton [Newcomb] in Wichita, Kansas, USA; jazz musician/orchestra leader (Music 55). 1924 - Birth of Lee Marvin in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Paint Your Wagon, Cat Ballou) (dies 1987). 1930 - Birth of John Frankenheimer in New York City, New York, USA; director (Birdman of Alcatraz). 1932 - Birth of Joseph P Kerwin in Oak Park, Illinois, USA; Captain Medical Corps US Navy/astronaut (Skylab 2). 1940 - Birth of William "Smokey" Robinson in Detroit, Michigan, USA; singer (Smokey and the Miracles - "Being With You", "Tears of a Clown"). 1943 - Birth of Lou Christie [Lugee Sacco] in Pennsylvania, USA; rock vocalist ("Lightning Striking Again"). 1948 - Birth of Byron K Lichtenburg in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, USA; astronaut (STS 9, STS 45). 1948 - Birth of Mark Andes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; rock bassist ("Spirit", "Heart", "Fireball"). 1949 - Birth of Edward Hardin in New York City, New York, USA; rocker (Spencer Davis Group). 1951 - Birth of Stephen Nichols in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; actor (Witchboard, Days of Our Lives). 1955 - Birth of Jeff Daniels in Chelsea, Michigan, USA; actor (Something Wild, Dumb and Dumber, Speed). 1955 - Birth of Margaux Hemingway in Portland, Oregon, USA; actress (Lipstick, They Call Me Bruce). 1956 - Birth of George David Low in Cleveland, Ohio, USA; astronaut (STS 32, STS 43). 1957 - Birth of Dave "Smoke" Stewart in Oakland, California, USA; pitcher (Oakland Athletics). 1963 - Birth of Jessica Tuck in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Megan - One Life to Live). 1966 - Birth of Justine Bateman in Rye, New York, USA; actress (Mallory - Family Ties, Satisfaction). 1966 - Birth of Matthew Ryan in Port Jefferson, New York, USA; team handball circle (Olympics-1996). 1967 - Birth of Benicio Del Toro in Puerto Rico; actor (Licence to Kill, Usual Suspects). 1967 - Wilmer King, first casuality on Tappan Zee Bridge in New York, dies. 1971 - Birth of Becca Lee in Tennessee, USA; Miss Tennessee-USA (1996-third). 1971 - Birth of Becky Dyroen-Lancer in San Jose, California, USA; synchronized swimmer (Olympics-gold-1996). 1975 - Birth of Paul Frey in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; dance skater (and Ponte-1995 Eastern Jr champion). 1983 - Birth of Ryan Whitney; American ice hockey player. 1985 - Birth of Haylie Duff; American actress and singer. 1989 - Birth of L A Baby, orangutan at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington. 1993 - Birth of Victoria Justice, American actress. Deaths on February 19 1986 - James O Eastland, American politician (Senator-Democrat-Mississippi) dies at age 81. 1996 - Grant Sawyer, US politician, dies at age 76. 2001 - Death of Priscilla Davis, American socialite (born 1942). 2001 - Death of Stanley Kramer, American film director (born 1913). 2002 - Death of Virginia Hamilton, American writer (born 1936). 2003 - Death of Johnny PayCheck, American singer (born 1938).         Your Ad Here You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history. Bookmark this URL:   http://thisdayinhistoryinfo.info/usa/   and revisit each day. (this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events) Or, visit my Timelines of History page. Other web pages of interest: Chronology of the United States of America Today in Disney History Today in Sports History Chronology of World War II Chronology of Personal Computers