May 19 in history — What Happened Today in History
Welcome to May 19 in history! Here you can discover what happened on May 19, including the major events, the famous people born on May 19 and the notable deaths on May 19, with the newest story starting in 2024.
On this page, May 19 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about May 19 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on May 19 in History 40
- 2024
A helicopter crash in Iran leaves 8 people dead, including the country's president Ebrahim Raisi & foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
- 2018
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is held at St George's Chapel, Windsor, with an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion.
- 2016
EgyptAir Flight 804 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea while traveling from Paris to Cairo, killing all on board.
- 2015
The Refugio oil spill deposited 142,800 U.S. gallons (3,400 barrels) of crude oil onto an area in California considered one of the most biologically diverse coastlines of the west coast.
- 2012
Three gas cylinder bombs explode in front of a vocational school in the Italian city of Brindisi, killing one person and injuring five others.
- 2012
A car bomb explodes near a military complex in the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, killing nine people.
- 2010
The Royal Thai Armed Forces concludes its crackdown on protests by forcing the surrender of United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship leaders.
- 2007
President of Romania Traian Băsescu survives an impeachment referendum and returns to office from suspension.
- 2007
A mass shooting starts in Moscow, Idaho, which would leave 3 non-shooters dead and 3 more injured, before the shooter committed suicide the next day.
- 2000
Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-101 to resupply the International Space Station.
- 1997
The Sierra Gorda biosphere, the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, is established as a result of grassroots efforts.
- 1996
Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on mission STS-77.
All entries for May 19（+28）
- 1993
SAM Colombia Flight 501 crashes on approach to José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia, killing 132.
- 1991
Croatians vote for independence in a referendum.
- 1986
The Firearm Owners Protection Act is signed into law by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
- 1971
Mars probe program: Mars 2 is launched by the Soviet Union.
- 1963
The New York Post Sunday Magazine publishes Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail.
- 1962
A birthday salute to U.S. President John F. Kennedy takes place at Madison Square Garden, New York City. The highlight is Marilyn Monroe's rendition of "Happy Birthday".
- 1961
Venera program: Venera 1 becomes the first man-made object to fly by another planet by passing Venus (the probe had lost contact with Earth a month earlier and did not send back any data).
- 1961
At Silchar Railway Station, Assam, 11 Bengalis die when police open fire on protesters demanding state recognition of Bengali language in the Bengali Language Movement.
- 1959
The North Vietnamese Army establishes Group 559, whose responsibility is to determine how to maintain supply lines to South Vietnam; the resulting route is the Ho Chi Minh trail.
- 1950
A barge containing munitions destined for Pakistan explodes in the harbor at South Amboy, New Jersey, devastating the city.
- 1945
Syrian demonstrators in Damascus are fired upon by French troops injuring twelve, leading to the Levant Crisis.
- 1943
Winston Churchill's second wartime address to the U.S. Congress
- 1942
World War II: In the aftermath of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Task Force 16 heads to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
- 1934
Zveno and the Bulgarian Army engineer a coup d'état and install Kimon Georgiev as the new Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
- 1933
Finnish cavalry general C. G. E. Mannerheim is appointed the field marshal.
- 1922
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union is established.
- 1921
The United States Congress passes the Emergency Quota Act establishing national quotas on immigration.
- 1919
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lands at Samsun on the Anatolian Black Sea coast, initiating what is later termed the Turkish War of Independence.
- 1917
The Norwegian football club Rosenborg BK is founded.
- 1911
Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, is established as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the Interior.
- 1900
Great Britain annexes Tonga Island.
- 1900
Second Boer War: British troops relieve Mafeking.
- 1883
Buffalo Bill's first Buffalo Bill's Wild West opens in Omaha, Nebraska.
- 1848
Mexican–American War: Mexico ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thus ending the war and ceding California, Nevada, Utah and parts of four other modern-day U.S. states to the United States for US$15 million.
- 1845
Captain Sir John Franklin and his ill-fated Arctic expedition depart from Greenhithe, England.
- 1828
U.S. President John Quincy Adams signs the Tariff of 1828 into law, sparking outrage in the South and leading to the Nullification crisis.
- 1802
Napoleon Bonaparte founds the Legion of Honour.
- 1798
Napoleon Bonaparte and his expedition force leave France to invade Egypt.
Famous Birthdays on May 19 in History 25
- 2003
Jojo Siwa, American dancer, singer, actress, and YouTube personality
- 2002
Riccardo Calafiori, Italian footballer
- 2002
Rafa Marín, Spanish footballer
- 2001
Elizabeth Mandlik, American tennis player
- 1996
Michael Carcone, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1995
Taane Milne, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1994
Carlos Guzmán, Mexican footballer
- 1992
Michele Camporese, Italian footballer
- 1992
Ola John, Dutch footballer
- 1992
Felise Kaufusi, New Zealand-Tongan rugby league player
- 1992
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1992
Marshmello, American electronic music producer and DJ
All entries for May 19（+13）
- 1992
Sam Smith, English singer-songwriter
- 1992
Heather Watson, British tennis player
- 1992
Lainey Wilson, American singer-songwriter
- 1991
Jordan Pruitt, American singer-songwriter
- 1987
Michael Angelakos, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1987
David Edgar, Canadian soccer player
- 1987
Mariano Torres, Argentinian footballer
- 1986
Mario Chalmers, American basketball player
- 1985
Malakai Black, Dutch professional wrestler
- 1984
Marcedes Lewis, American football player
- 1983
Michael Che, American comedian
- 1983
Jessica Fox, English actress
- 1982
Kevin Amankwaah, English footballer
Notable Deaths on May 19 in History 25
- 2024
Christian Malanga, Congolese politician, businessman and military officer (born 1983)
- 2024
Victims in the 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash:
- 2023
Andy Rourke, English bassist (born 1964)
- 2021
Paul Mooney, American comedian (born 1941)
- 2018
Zhengzhang Shangfang, Chinese linguist (born 1933)
- 2017
Nawshirwan Mustafa, General coordinator of the Movement for Change (Gorran) (born 1944)
- 2017
Stanislav Petrov, Lt. Colonel in Soviet Air Defence Forces (born 1939)
- 2016
Alan Young, English-born Canadian-American actor (born 1919)
- 2016
Morley Safer, Canadian-born American journalist (born 1931)
- 2015
Bruce Lundvall, American businessman (born 1935)
- 2015
Ted McWhinney, Australian-Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1924)
- 2015
Happy Rockefeller, American philanthropist, socialite; 31st Second Lady of the United States (born 1926)
All entries for May 19（+13）
- 2015
Robert S. Wistrich, English historian, author, and academic (born 1945)
- 2014
Simon Andrews, English motorcycle racer (born 1982)
- 2014
Jack Brabham, Australian race car driver (born 1926)
- 2014
Sam Greenlee, American author and poet (born 1930)
- 2014
Vincent Harding, American historian and scholar (born 1931)
- 2014
Gabriel Kolko, American historian and author (born 1932)
- 2014
Zbigniew Pietrzykowski, Polish boxer (born 1934)
- 2013
G. Sarsfield Ford, American lawyer and jurist (born 1933)
- 2013
Robin Harrison, English-Canadian pianist and composer (born 1932)
- 2013
Neil Reynolds, Canadian journalist and politician (born 1940)
- 2012
Bob Boozer, American basketball player (born 1937)
- 2012
Tamara Brooks, American conductor and educator (born 1941)
- 2012
Ian Burgess, English race car driver (born 1930)
That is the story of May 19 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on May 19 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on May 19 in history?
The biggest event on May 19 in history is: 2024 — A helicopter crash in Iran leaves 8 people dead, including the country's president Ebrahim Raisi & foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on May 19?
25 famous people were born on May 19 in history, the best known being 2003 — Jojo Siwa, American dancer, singer, actress, and YouTube personality.
Who died on May 19?
25 notable people died on May 19 in history, including 2024 — Christian Malanga, Congolese politician, businessman and military officer (born 1983).
Why should I read about May 19 in history?
Exploring May 19 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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