On This Day: 19 May

19 May in Indian history

• 1961At Silchar Railway Station, Assam, 11 Bengalis die when police open fire on protesters demanding state recognition of Bengali language in the Bengali Language Movement.India

19 May in world history

• 2024A helicopter crash in Iran leaves 8 people dead, including the country's president Ebrahim Raisi & foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
• 2018The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England.
• 2015The 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.
• 1997The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of grassroots efforts.
• 1996Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on mission STS-77.
• 1991Breakup of Yugoslavia: With the local Serb population boycotting the referendum, Croatians voted in favour of independence from Yugoslavia.
• 1962Actress Marilyn Monroe performed a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" during a televised celebration for U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
• 1959The 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.
• 1950A barge containing munitions destined for Pakistan explodes in the harbor at South Amboy, New Jersey, devastating the city.
• 1945Syrian demonstrators in Damascus are fired upon by French troops injuring twelve, leading to the Levant Crisis.
• 1942World War II: In the aftermath of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Task Force 16 heads to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
• 1919Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lands at Samsun on the Anatolian Black Sea coast, initiating what is later termed the Turkish War of Independence.
• 1848Mexican–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.
• 1845Captain John Franklin departed Greenhithe, England, on an expedition to the Canadian Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage; all 129 men were later lost when their ships became icebound in Victoria Strait.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: A Continental Army garrison west of Montreal surrendered to British troops at the Battle of the Cedars.
• 1743French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin published the design of a mercury thermometer using the centigrade scale, with 0 representing the melting point of water and 100 its boiling point.
• 715Gregory II began his pontificate; his conflict with Byzantine emperor Leo III eventually led to the establishment of the temporal power of the pope.

Born on 19 May

• 1972Claudia Karvan, Australian actress, producer, and screenwriter
• 1934Ruskin Bond, Indian author and poetIndia
• 1932Elena Poniatowska, Mexican intellectual and journalist
• 1925Pol Pot, Cambodian general and politician, 29th Prime Minister of Cambodia (died 1998)
• 1913Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, Indian lawyer and politician, 6th President of India (died 1996)India
• 1908Manik Bandopadhyay, Indian author, poet, and playwright (died 1956)India

Died on 19 May

• 2008Vijay Tendulkar, Indian playwright and screenwriter (born 1928)India
• 1969Coleman Hawkins, American saxophonist and clarinet player (born 1901)
• 1904Jamsetji Tata, Indian businessman, founded Tata Group (born 1839)India
• 1895José Martí, Cuban journalist, poet, and philosopher (born 1853)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 19 May in history?

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 took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England. 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. 1997: The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of grassroots efforts.

What happened on 19 May in Indian history?

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.

Which famous people were born on 19 May?

Claudia Karvan, Australian actress, producer, and screenwriter (1972); Ruskin Bond, Indian author and poet (1934); Elena Poniatowska, Mexican intellectual and journalist (1932); Pol Pot, Cambodian general and politician, 29th Prime Minister of Cambodia (died 1998) (1925).

Which day is observed on 19 May?

Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day (Greece); Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkey, Northern Cyprus); Remembrance Day (Sri Lanka); Hồ Chí Minh's Birthday (Vietnam); Malcolm X Day (United States of America).