October 19

Scott Winters October 19, 2025 0 Comments

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1765 – The Stamp Act Congress met and drew up a declaration of rights and liberties.

1814 – The first documented performance of “The Defence of Fort McHenry” with music took place at the Holliday Street Theatre in Baltimore, MD. The work was later published with the title “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

1839 – Anna Lee Aldred became the first licensed female jockey at the age of 18. She rode horses until she was 80.

1906 – Dr. Lee DeForest gave a demonstration of his radio tube.

1914 – Government owned vehicles were used for the first time to pick up mail in Washington, DC.

1918 – The “Spanish” Flu closed the state of Michigan. Schools, theaters, bowling alleys, pool rooms and churches were all ordered closed due to the influenza epidemic. By Christmas of that year, 266 people had died in Grand Rapids, MI and 6,700 people statewide. The death toll is typically estimated to have been somewhere between 17 million and 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.

1937 – “Woman’s Day” magazine was published for the first time.

1944 – The U.S. Navy announced that black women would be allowed into Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

1948 – WLAV-TV changed its call letters to WOOD TV.

1960 – The first fully mechanized post office opened in Providence, RI.

1960 – The United States imposed an embargo on exports to Cuba covering all commodities except medical supplies and certain food products.

1966 – Vincent Price played “Egghead,” the guest villain on TV’s “Batman”.

1973 – President Richard Nixon rejected an Appeals Court decision that he turn over the Watergate tapes.

1977 – The Concorde S.S.T. made its first landing in New York, NY.

1982 – Automaker John Z. DeLorean was arrested and charged with conspiracy to obtain and distribute 55 pounds of cocaine. He was acquitted of the drug charges in August, 1984.

1983 – The Senate approved a bill establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1985 – The first Blockbuster video rental store opened in Dallas, TX with 8,000 VHS and 2,000 BETA tapes. Eventually the chain would have 9,093 stores. As of 2019, there was only one store that is still in operation. That store is located in Bend, Oregon.

1987 – On what was referred to as “Black Monday”, The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 22.6% to 508 points causing widespread panic.

1989 – The Senate rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that barred the desecration of the U.S. flag.

1990 – The movie “Dances With Wolves”, starring Kevin Costner, premiered in theaters.

1994 – The low budget, independent movie “Clerks” debuted in theaters.

1997 – On stage at the Grand Ole Opry, Vince Gill honored John Denver. Gill played “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

1998 – In Washington, DC, the U.S. Government opened its antitrust case against Microsoft.

1998 – A class action suit filed by smokers against five cigarette manufacturers went to trial in Miami, FL, seeking $200 billion.

1998 – Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson got his license back after having it rescinded for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear.

2003 – Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

2003 – In London, magician David Blaine emerged from a clear plastic box that had been suspended by a crane over the banks of the Thames River. Blaine had entered the box on September 5. He survived only on water for 44 days.

2004 – The television show “The Biggest Loser” debuted on NBC.

2004 – ABC announced it would drop the Miss America beauty pageant. It was later picked up by CMT.

2005 – Saddam Hussein went on trial in Baghdad for crimes against humanity.

2005 – Hurricane Wilma became the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum pressure of 882 mb.

2006 – The Dow Jones industrial average ended the day at 12,011.73. It was the first close above 12,000.

2009 – The international version of Amazon’s Kindle 2 was released.

2012 – Big Tex, the 52 foot statue and cultural icon in Dallas, was destroyed by fire during the final weekend of the 2012 State Fair of Texas.

BIRTHDAYS:

Ed Emberley – 94 years old (1931) – Author and illustrator

Peter Max – 88 years old (1937) – German-American illustrator

L. E. Modesitt – 82 years old (1943) – Jr. , American author and poet

George McCrae – 81 years old (1944) – Singer

Bill Melchionni – 81 years old (1944) – Basketball player

Angus Deaton – 80 years old (1945) – Scottish-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

Patricia Ireland – 80 years old (1945) – Lawyer and activist

Gloria Jones – 80 years old (1945) – Singer-songwriter

John Lithgow – 80 years old (1945) – Actor

Jeannie C. Riley – 80 years old (1945) – Singer

James Howard Kunstler – 77 years old (1948) – Author and critic

Patrick Simmons – 77 years old (1948) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Lynn Dickey – 76 years old (1949) – Football player and radio host

Annie Golden – 74 years old (1951) – Actress and singer

Kurt Schrader – 74 years old (1951) – Veterinarian and politician

Lionel Hollins – 72 years old (1953) – Basketball player and coach

Deborah Blum – 71 years old (1954) – Journalist and author

Dan Gutman – 70 years old (1955) – Author

Steve Doocy – 69 years old (1956) – Journalist and author

Grover Norquist – 69 years old (1956) – Activist, founded Americans for Tax Reform

Bruce Weber – 69 years old (1956) – Basketball player and coach

Dorinda Clark-Cole – 68 years old (1957) – Singer-songwriter and pianist

Ray Richmond – 68 years old (1957) – Journalist and critic

Michael Steele – 67 years old (1958) – Journalist and politician, 7th Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

Jennifer Holliday – 65 years old (1960) – Actress and singer

Susan Straight – 65 years old (1960) – Author and academic

Ayuo Takahashi – 65 years old (1960) – Japanese-American singer-songwriter

Tracy Chevalier – 63 years old (1962) – American-English author

Brian Henninger – 63 years old (1962) – Golfer

Evander Holyfield – 63 years old (1962) – Boxer and actor

Sinitta – 62 years old (1963) – American-British singer

Ty Pennington – 61 years old (1964) – Model, carpenter and television host

Brad Daugherty – 60 years old (1965) – Basketball player and sportscaster

Todd Park Mohr – 60 years old (1965) – Rock singer-songwriter and musician

Jon Favreau – 59 years old (1966) – Actor, director, and screenwriter

David Vann – 59 years old (1966) – Novelist and short story writer

Amy Carter – 58 years old (1967) – Illustrator and activist

Rodney Carrington – 57 years old (1968) – Comedian, actor, and singer

John Edward – 56 years old (1969) – Psychic and author

Trey Parker – 56 years old (1969) – Actor, animator, producer, and screenwriter

Chris Kattan – 55 years old (1970) – Actor, producer, and screenwriter

Keith Foulke – 53 years old (1972) – Baseball player

Pras – 53 years old (1972) – Rapper-songwriter, record producer, and actor

Omar Gooding – 49 years old (1976) – Actor and producer

Desmond Harrington – 49 years old (1976) – Actor

Michael Young – 49 years old (1976) – Baseball player

Jason Reitman – 48 years old (1977) – Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter

Brian Robertson – 46 years old (1979) – Trombonist

Rajai Davis – 45 years old (1980) – Baseball player

Benjamin Salisbury – 45 years old (1980) – Actor

J. A. Happ – 43 years old (1982) – Baseball player

Gillian Jacobs – 43 years old (1982) – Actress and director

Cara Santa Maria – 42 years old (1983) – Neuroscientist and blogger

Thundercat – 41 years old (1984) – Singer and record producer

Ciara Renée – 35 years old (1990) – Actress and singer

Colton Dixon – 34 years old (1991) – Singer-songwriter and pianist

Lil Durk – 33 years old (1992) – Rapper

Hunter King – 32 years old (1993) – Actress

Abby Sunderland – 32 years old (1993) – Sailor

Cal Petersen – 31 years old (1994) – Ice hockey player

Sammis Reyes – 30 years old (1995) – Chilean-American football and basketball player

TODAY IS:

International Gin and Tonic Day: Mac and cheese, PB and J, Pickles and Rye…Gin and Tonic is a classic combination beloved by all. Mix them together, add some lime, and feel the refreshment.
National New Friends Day: In life's vibrant tapestry, weaving connections opens doors to fresh horizons, and sprinkles joy into everyday moments.
National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day: Back up your important files and photos on hard drives, set up folders, and get your virtual desktop de-cluttered, streamlined, and well organized.
National Seafood Bisque Day:
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day:
National LGBT Center Awareness Day:
Evaluate Your Life Day: If you don’t pause to evaluate your life, you can’t plan to improve it. Sit down and consider your goals and habits, and discover what you need to change.
National Chemistry Week: Through intricate reactions and bonds, this noble science unveils the secrets of matter, forging advancements that enrich lives and shape the world.
National Baking Week: Creating delightful treats combines creativity, skill, and tradition, bringing joy and delicious aromas to any home.
Free Speech Week:
YWCA Week Without Violence:
National Parenting Week:
National Health Education Week:
National Retirement Security Week:
Durga Puja:
National Temperature Check Week:
National Adoption Week:
International Infection Prevention Week:
National Friends of Libraries Week:
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week:
National Teen Driver Safety Week:
Nuclear Science Week:
National School Bus Safety Week: Behind the wheel, they navigate the roads of possibility, ensuring the next generation's safe voyage to knowledge with a friendly smile.
Map Reading Week: