- 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 (seal pictured) government following Texas' annexation by the United States.
- 1878 – Thomas Edison patents the phonograph.
- 1881 – Kansas became the first U.S. state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
- 1945 – The Battle of Iwo Jima begins with the landing of about 30,000 United States Marines.
- 1942 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the executive order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese-Americans to Japanese internment camps.
- 1976 – President Gerald R. Ford's Proclamation 4417 rescinds Executive Order 9066.
On this day for the United States
January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December
February 19:
| << | February | >> | ||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | ||||
Events
- 1807 - In Alabama, Former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr is arrested for treason and confined to Fort Stoddart.
- 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 Texas' annexation by the United States.
- 1852 - The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity is founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
- 1864 - Knights of Pythias founded at Washington, DC by Justus H. Rathbone.
- 1878 - The phonograph is patented by Thomas Edison.
- 1881 - Kansas became the first U.S. state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
- 1942 - World War II: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the executive order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese-Americans to Japanese internment camps.
- 1945 - World War II: Battle of Iwo Jima - about 30,000 United States Marines land on Iwo Jima.
- 1953 - Censorship: Georgia approves the first literature censorship board in the United States.
- 2001 - An Oklahoma City bombing museum is dedicated at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
- 2002 - NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of Mars using its thermal emission imaging system.
Births
- 1780 - Richard McCarty, American politician (d. 1844)
- 1895 - Louis Calhern, American actor (d. 1956)
- 1897 - Alma Rubens, American actress (d. 1931)
- 1902 - Kay Boyle, American writer (d. 1992)
- 1912 - Saul Chaplin, American composer (d. 1997)
- 1916 - Eddie Arcaro, American jockey (d. 1997)
- 1917 - Carson McCullers, American author (d. 1967)
- 1920 - C. Z. Guest, American socialite (d. 2003)
- 1924 - Lee Marvin, American actor (d. 1987)
- 1924 - Bruce Norris, American ice hockey executive (d. 1986)
- 1930 - John Frankenheimer, American film director (d. 2002)
- 1934 - Carole Eastman, American screenwriter (d. 2004)
- 1936 - Sam Myers, American musician and songwriter (d. 2006)
- 1940 - Smokey Robinson, American singer
- 1941 - David Gross, American physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1942 - Paul Krause, American football player
- 1943 - Lou Christie, American singer
- 1943 - Homer Hickam, American author and retired NASA engineer
- 1945 - Michael Nader, American actor
- 1946 - Karen Silkwood, American activist (d. 1974)
- 1948 - Mark Andes, American musician
- 1948 - Big John Studd, American professional wrestler (d. 1995)
- 1949 - Dan Bunten, American software developer (d. 1998)
- 1951 - Stephen Nichols, American actor
- 1952 - Amy Tan, American novelist
- 1955 - Jeff Daniels, American actor
- 1956 - Kathleen Beller, American actress
- 1956 - Roderick MacKinnon, American biologist, Nobel laureate
- 1962 - John Laroche, American orchid poacher
- 1963 - Laurell K. Hamilton, American writer
- 1966 - Justine Bateman, American actress
- 1969 - Burton C. Bell, American vocalist
- 1971 - Gil Shaham, Israeli/American violinist
- 1972 - Francine, American professional wrestler
- 1974 - Danny Doring, American professional wrestler
- 1979 - Steve Cherundolo, American soccer player
- 1980 - Neleh Dennis, American Survivor contestant
- 1980 - Mike Miller, American basketball player
- 1981 - Beth Ditto, American singer (The Gossip)
- 1981 - Gil Reyes, American boxer
- 1984 - Chris Richardson, American Idol finalist
- 1985 - Haylie Duff, American singer/actress
- 1993 - Victoria Justice, American actress and musician
Deaths
- 1789 - Nicholas Van Dyke, American lawyer and President of Delaware (b. 1738)
- 1936 - Billy Mitchell, American general and military aviation pioneer (b. 1879)
- 1942 - Frank Abbandando, American gangster (executed) (b. 1910)
- 1969 - Madge Blake, American actress (b. 1899)
- 1972 - Tedd Pierce, American animator (b. 1906)
- 1983 - Alice White, American film actress (b. 1904)
- 1996 - Charles O. Finley, American sports entrepreneur (b. 1918)
- 1997 - Leo Rosten, American Yiddish writer and humorist (b. 1908)
- 1998 - Grandpa Jones, American entertainer (b. 1913)
- 2001 - Priscilla Davis, American socialite (b. 1942)
- 2001 - Stanley Kramer, American director (b. 1913)
- 2003 - Johnny PayCheck, American singer (b. 1938)
- 2007 - Janet Blair, American actress (b. 1921)