Today in History - November 19th


  • 1493 - On this day in history, Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico, on his second voyage.
  • 1805 - Lewis & Clark reached Pacific Ocean --first European Americans to cross continent.
  • 1850 - Alfred Tennyson became British Poet Laureate, succeeding William Wordsworth.
  • 1861 - Today in history, Julia Ward Howe wrote "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
  • 1863 - President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address, on this day in history.
  • 1893 - The first newspaper color supplement was published in the Sunday New York World. 
  • 1916 - Samuel Goldwyn and Edgar Selwyn establish Goldwyn, one of the most successful independent film makers of all time.
  • 1928 - Today in history, TIME magazine published its cover in color for the first time.
  • 1969 - Apollo 12 made man's second landing on the moon. 
  • 1977 - Egyptian President Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to set foot in Israel on an official visit. 
  • 1980 - On this day in history, CBS TV banned Calvin Klein's jean ad featuring Brooke Shields.
  • 1985 - President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev met for the first time. 
  • 1997 - Septuplets were born to Bobbi McCaughey. It was only the second known case where all seven were born alive. 
  • 1998 - Today in history, the impeachment inquiry of President Bill Clinton began. 
  • 1998 - Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of the Artist without Beard" sold at auction for more than $71 million. 
  • 2001 - President George W. Bush signed the most comprehensive air security bill in the country's history. 
  • 2002 - On this day in history, the U.S. government completed its takeover of security at 424 airports nationwide. 
  • 2003 - Eight competing designs for a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center were unveiled.

SCIENCE, INVENTIONS, PATENTS - Today in History, November 19th

  • 1895 - The "paper pencil" was patented by Frederick E. Blaisdell. 
  • 1954 - Today in history, two automatic toll collectors were placed in service on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. 

MUSIC HISTORY - Today in History, November 19th

  • 1968 - The Supremes performed at a Royal Variety Show with Queen Elizabeth in attendance.
  • 1971 - Today in history, B.B. King marked his 25th anniversary in music by opening a European tour in London. 
  • 1990 - Milli Vanilli were stripped of their Grammy Award because other singers had lent their voices to the "Girl You Know It's True" album. 
  • 1995 - Bruce Springsteen's thirteenth album, "The Ghost of Tom Joad," was released. 
  • 1996 - On this day in history, Prince released the 3 CD set "Emancipation." The release was on his record label NPG Records. 
  • 1997 - The American premiere of Paul McCartney's "Standing Stone" was played in Carnegie Hall by St. Luke's Orchestra. 
  • 1998 - Today in history, Motley Crue's retail store, S'Crue, opened in Los Angeles. 

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS - November 19th

  • James Garfield 1831 
  • Tommy Dorsey 1905 
  • Indira Gandhi 1917 
  • Larry King 1933 
  • Dick Cavett 1936 
  • Ted Turner 1938 
  • Calvin Klein 1942 
  • Meg Ryan 1961 
  • Jodie Foster 1962