Historical Events on March 19

  • 1865: The Battle of Bentonville starts during the American Civil War. It would lead to the retreat of Confederate forces two days later.
  • 1895: The first footage taken using the cinematograph is taken by Louis and Auguste Lumiere.
  • 1918: Separate Time Zones and Daylight Savings Time is established by the United States Congress.
  • 1920: The U.S Senate once again rejects the Treaty of Versailles after rejecting it for the first time on November 19th, 1919.
  • 1931: Nevada legalizes gambling.
  • 1941: The Tuskegee Airmen – also known as the 99th Pursuit Squadron – is activated by the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.
  • 1943: Frank Nitti commits suicide at the Chicago Central Railyard.
  • 1944: Hungary becomes occupied by German forces during World War II.
  • 1945: A dive bomber hits the aircraft carrier the USS Franklin off of Japan’s coast during WWII.
  • 1945: Adolf Hitler orders all industries in Germany to be destroyed.
  • 1965: Over 100 years after its destruction, the wreck of the SS Georgiana is discovered by E. Lee Spence.
  • 1979: Day-to-day business of the United States House of Representatives begins being broadcast on C-SPAN on this day.
  • 2008: Cosmic ray burst GRB 080319B was briefly visible to the naked eye on this day.
  • 2013: Over 240 people were injured and almost 100 were killed during a series of shootings and bombings in Iraq.
  • 2016: 36 people are injured and 5 are killed during an explosion in Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey.

Famous Birthdays on March 19

  • Scottish explorer and missionary, David Livingstone is born in 1813.
  • American lawman and sheriff, Wyatt Earp is born in 1848.
  • American lieutenant, jurist and 14th Chief Justice of the U.S., Earl Warren is born in 1891.
  • American actor and producer, Bruce Willis is born in 1955.
  • English singer-songwriter Terry Hall is born in 1959.
  • Canadian actress Rachel Blanchard is born in 1976.