On This Day - October 19
Image credit: The GrayVine
Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Let's look back at some of the most significant events in America and beyond that happened on this day, starting with...
1781: A Decisive Victory at Yorktown
British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered to American forces under George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, a decisive victory that effectively ended the American Revolution.
1789: The First Chief Justice was Sworn In
Founding Father John Jay was sworn in as the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.
1864: A Confederate Raid from Canada
In an incident staged from a neutral country, Confederate soldiers based in Canada crossed the border to rob banks in St. Albans, Vermont, during the Civil War.
1897: The Death of a Railroad Innovator
George M. Pullman, the American industrialist who invented the railroad sleeping car, died.
1985: The First Blockbuster Opened
The very first Blockbuster video rental store opened its doors in Dallas, Texas, launching a global chain.
1987: "Black Monday" Stock Market Crash
The Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered its largest one-day percentage drop in history, a day remembered as "Black Monday."
2003: Mother Teresa was Beatified
Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning nun known for her charitable work.
2024: A Foamy World Record in Hockey
The Kalamazoo Wings hockey team set a world record for the most foam fingers waved simultaneously, with 3,414 participants.
Do you have more events (historical or not!) you'd like to share with the community? Post them below and let's reminisce together!
