February 19 in history is a date packed with extraordinary moments that span science, war, politics, and culture. From the birth of one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived to some of the most consequential decisions of the twentieth century, this single date in the calendar offers a remarkable window into the forces that have shaped civilization. Whether you are a casual history enthusiast or a dedicated researcher, exploring what happened on this day reveals just how much a single date can hold. You can also use the On This Day in History tool to discover more fascinating events from across the centuries.
Scientific Breakthroughs and Discoveries
1473 – Birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, Father of Modern Astronomy
On February 19, 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the city of Thorn (modern-day Toruń, Poland) in Royal Prussia. A Renaissance polymath trained in mathematics, medicine, economics, and canon law, Copernicus would go on to propose one of the most revolutionary ideas in the history of science: that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, not the other way around. His monumental work, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), published in 1543, the year of his death, shifted humanity’s understanding of the cosmos and laid the groundwork for what we now call the Scientific Revolution. Copernicus’s heliocentric model was later expanded upon by Galileo, Kepler, and Newton, cementing a legacy that endures to this day.
1930 – Pluto Photographed for the First Time
On February 19, 1930, astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona made a discovery that would capture the public imagination for decades: he identified a new celestial body in a pair of photographic plates taken on January 23 and 29 of that year. The object, later named Pluto after the Roman god of the underworld, was announced to the world on March 13, 1930. For 76 years it was classified as the ninth planet in our solar system, before the International Astronomical Union reclassified it as a “dwarf planet” in 2006. Tombaugh’s discovery remains one of the last naked-eye-era planetary finds in history, and Pluto continues to fascinate scientists and the public alike.
Major Political Events and Government Decisions
1942 – Roosevelt Signs Executive Order 9066: Japanese American Internment
Perhaps one of the most sobering events associated with February 19, 1942 is President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066, just ten weeks after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The order authorized the Secretary of War to designate military zones from which any person could be excluded, effectively enabling the forced relocation and internment of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans — the majority of whom were U.S. citizens — into detention camps across the American West. Families lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods. The Supreme Court upheld the order in the 1944 case Korematsu v. United States, a ruling that was formally repudiated decades later. In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act formally acknowledged the injustice, offering a national apology and reparations of $20,000 to each surviving internee.
1954 – Soviet Union Transfers Crimea to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic
On February 19, 1954, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev presided over the transfer of the Crimean Oblast from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. At the time, the transfer was largely symbolic — both republics were part of the same Soviet Union — and was framed as a gesture marking the 300th anniversary of the union between Russia and Ukraine. However, when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and Ukraine became an independent nation, Crimea remained part of it, creating lasting geopolitical tension. Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea — widely condemned by the international community — has its roots in this 1954 administrative decision, making it one of the most consequential bureaucratic transfers of the twentieth century.
Wars, Battles, and Military History
1945 – Battle of Iwo Jima Begins
On February 19, 1945, one of the most ferocious battles of World War II commenced when approximately 70,000 United States Marines launched an amphibious assault on the volcanic island of Iwo Jima, located roughly 750 miles south of Tokyo. The island was strategically critical: it hosted Japanese air bases and radar stations that warned of incoming American bombing raids on the Japanese mainland. The battle lasted 36 brutal days, claiming over 6,800 American lives and nearly the entirety of the island’s 22,000-strong Japanese garrison. Five days into the battle, on February 23, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured the now-iconic image of six Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi — an image that became one of the most reproduced photographs in history and a symbol of American sacrifice and resolve.
1807 – Aaron Burr Arrested for Treason
On February 19, 1807, former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in what is today Alabama and charged with treason against the United States. Burr had allegedly conspired to create an independent empire in the western territories and Mexico, though the details of his so-called “Burr Conspiracy” remain debated by historians to this day. He was tried and ultimately acquitted by a jury in Richmond, Virginia, in September 1807, under the strict definition of treason set by Chief Justice John Marshall. The case had lasting implications for the legal definition of treason in American jurisprudence and marked the definitive end of Burr’s political career following his earlier duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804.
Cultural Milestones and Entertainment
1878 – Thomas Edison Patents the Phonograph
On February 19, 1878, Thomas Alva Edison received U.S. Patent No. 200,521 for his invention of the phonograph — the first device capable of recording and reproducing sound. Edison had demonstrated the machine to the public for the first time in late 1877, drawing astonishment from audiences who could hardly believe that human speech and music could be captured and played back. The original phonograph used a rotating cylinder wrapped in tin foil, with a stylus that etched vibrations into the surface. While the technology would evolve rapidly in the following decades — giving rise to the gramophone, vinyl record, and eventually digital audio — Edison’s patent represents the moment that recorded sound became a legal reality. The phonograph fundamentally changed how humanity would relate to music, speech, and storytelling forever.
Notable Births and Deaths on February 19
Notable Births
- 1473 – Nicolaus Copernicus: Polish astronomer and mathematician who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system, forever changing our view of Earth’s place in the universe.
- 1859 – Svante Arrhenius: Swedish scientist and Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry (1903), best known for developing the theory of electrolytic dissociation and for his early work connecting carbon dioxide to climate change — making him arguably the first scientist to describe what we now call the greenhouse effect.
- 1940 – Smokey Robinson: Legendary American singer, songwriter, and record producer born in Detroit, Michigan, whose soulful voice and songwriting genius defined the Motown era and influenced generations of musicians worldwide.
Notable Deaths
- 1980 – Bon Scott: Iconic lead vocalist of Australian rock band AC/DC, who died on February 19, 1980, at the age of 33. His raw, powerful voice and irreverent stage presence helped define hard rock in the 1970s. The band went on to release the acclaimed album Back in Black as a tribute to him.
- 1952 – Knut Hamsun: Norwegian author and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature (1920), who died on February 19, 1952. His modernist novel Hunger (1890) is considered a foundational work of twentieth-century literature, though his controversial wartime collaboration with the Nazi regime in Norway continues to shadow his legacy.
Why February 19 Matters: A Day Across the Centuries
Looking at the full sweep of events on February 19 across the centuries, a striking pattern emerges: this is a day defined by transformation. Copernicus’s birth in 1473 set in motion a revolution in human thought that would take more than a century to fully unfold. Edison’s phonograph patent in 1878 launched an entirely new cultural industry. The internment order of 1942 and the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 defined the moral and military landscape of the mid-twentieth century. And the Crimea transfer of 1954 planted a seed of geopolitical conflict whose consequences continue to reverberate in global politics today.
History is never just a list of dates and names — it is a living conversation between the past and the present, reminding us how decisions made long ago continue to shape the world we inhabit. If you want to calculate how many days have passed since any of these events, or plan ahead for future commemorations, the Date Calculator is a handy tool for doing exactly that.
Frequently Asked Questions About February 19 in History
What major events happened on February 19?
Several landmark events occurred on February 19 across different centuries and continents. Nicolaus Copernicus was born on this day in 1473. Clyde Tombaugh photographed Pluto for the first time in 1930. President Roosevelt signed the Japanese American internment order in 1942. The Battle of Iwo Jima began in 1945. The Soviet Union transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954. And Thomas Edison received his phonograph patent on this day in 1878.
What historical figure was born on February 19?
The most historically significant figure born on February 19 is Nicolaus Copernicus (1473), the astronomer whose heliocentric theory revolutionized science. Other notable figures born on this date include Nobel-winning chemist Svante Arrhenius (1859) and Motown legend Smokey Robinson (1940).
Why is February 19 historically significant?
February 19 holds significance across multiple fields of human endeavor — science, politics, war, and culture. It is the birthday of one of the most important scientists in history, the date of a deeply consequential civil liberties violation during World War II, the beginning of one of the Pacific War’s most intense battles, and the day a phonograph patent helped birth the recorded music industry.
What happened on February 19, 1942?
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced relocation of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast into internment camps. The order, driven by wartime fear and racial prejudice, is now considered one of the most serious violations of civil rights in U.S. history. Congress formally apologized and authorized reparations for survivors in 1988.
What happened on February 19, 1945?
On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines launched the assault on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II. The 36-day battle was among the bloodiest in the Pacific campaign, resulting in over 26,000 American casualties. The famous photograph of Marines raising the flag atop Mount Suribachi was taken just four days into the battle and became one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century.