History of Today in India – 19 April

Explore the history of today 19 April in India, including important events, famous personalities, and milestones for UPSC SSC,Banking & PSC exams.

Last updated on 19 April 2026, 04:22 AM

📜 Important Events on 19 April in World History

19 Apr 2021: The Ingenuity helicopter becomes the first aircraft to achieve flight on another planet. Read more
19 Apr 2020: A killing spree in Nova Scotia, Canada, leaves 22 people and the perpetrator dead, making it the deadliest rampage in the country's history. Read more
19 Apr 2013: Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev is killed in a shootout with police. His brother Dzhokhar is later captured hiding in a boat inside a backyard in the suburb of Watertown. Read more
19 Apr 2011: Fidel Castro resigns as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba after holding the title since July 1961. Read more
19 Apr 2008: The Quito Ultratumba nightclub fire in Quito, Ecuador, kills 19 people and injures at least 24 more. Read more
19 Apr 2005: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected to the papacy and becomes Pope Benedict XVI. Read more
19 Apr 2001: Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on STS-100 carrying the Canadarm2 to the International Space Station. Read more
19 Apr 2000: Air Philippines Flight 541 crashes in Samal, Davao del Norte, killing all 131 people on board. Read more
19 Apr 1999: The German Bundestag returns to Berlin. Read more
19 Apr 1995: Oklahoma City bombing: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, US, is bombed, killing 168 people including 19 children under the age of six. Read more
19 Apr 1993: The 51-day FBI siege of the Branch Davidian building in Waco, Texas, US, ends when a fire breaks out. Seventy-six Davidians, including 18 children under age 10, died in the fire. Read more
19 Apr 1989: A gun turret explodes on the USS Iowa, killing 47 sailors. Read more
19 Apr 1987: The Simpsons first appear as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, first starting with "Good Night". Read more
19 Apr 1985: Two hundred ATF and FBI agents lay siege to the compound of the white supremacist survivalist group The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord in Arkansas; the CSA surrenders two days later. Read more
19 Apr 1984: Advance Australia Fair is proclaimed as Australia's national anthem, and green and gold as the national colours. Read more
19 Apr 1976: A violent F5 tornado strikes around Brownwood, Texas, injuring 11 people. Two people were thrown at least 1,000 yards (910 m) by the tornado and survived uninjured. Read more
19 Apr 1975: India's first satellite Aryabhata launched in orbit from Kapustin Yar, Russia. Read more
19 Apr 1975: South Vietnamese forces withdraw from the town of Xuan Loc in the last major battle of the Vietnam War. Read more
19 Apr 1973: The Portuguese Socialist Party is founded in the German town of Bad Münstereifel. Read more
19 Apr 1971: Sierra Leone becomes a republic, and Siaka Stevens the president. Read more
19 Apr 1971: Launch of Salyut 1, the first space station. Read more
19 Apr 1971: Charles Manson is sentenced to death (later commuted to life imprisonment) for conspiracy in the Tate–LaBianca murders. Read more
19 Apr 1960: Students in South Korea hold a nationwide pro-democracy protest against president Syngman Rhee, eventually forcing him to resign. Read more
19 Apr 1956: Actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier of Monaco. Read more
19 Apr 1943: World War II: In German-occupied Poland, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising begins, after German troops enter the Warsaw Ghetto to round up the remaining Jews. Read more
19 Apr 1943: Albert Hofmann deliberately doses himself with LSD for the first time, three days after having discovered its effects on April 16, an event commonly known and celebrated as Bicycle Day. Read more
19 Apr 1942: World War II: In German-occupied Poland, the Majdan-Tatarski ghetto is established, situated between the Lublin Ghetto and a Majdanek subcamp. Read more
19 Apr 1936: The Jaffa riots commence, initiating the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. Read more
19 Apr 1927: Mae West is sentenced to ten days in jail for obscenity for her play Sex. Read more
19 Apr 1925: Colo-Colo, the most successful and popular soccer football team in the South American nation of Chile, was founded at the El Llano Stadium in San Miguel, Santiago, by footballer David Arellano and some of his teammates who had also left the Deportes Magallanes club. Read more
19 Apr 1903: The Kishinev pogrom in Kishinev (Bessarabia) begins, forcing tens of thousands of Jews to later seek refuge in Palestine and the Western world. Read more
19 Apr 1861: American Civil War: Baltimore riot of 1861: A pro-Secession mob in Baltimore attacks United States Army troops marching through the city. Read more
19 Apr 1839: The Treaty of London establishes Belgium as a kingdom and guarantees its neutrality. Read more
19 Apr 1818: French physicist Augustin Fresnel signs his preliminary "Note on the Theory of Diffraction" (deposited on the following day). The document ends with what we now call the Fresnel integrals. Read more
19 Apr 1810: Venezuela achieves home rule: Vicente Emparán, Governor of the Captaincy General is removed by the people of Caracas and a junta is installed. Read more
19 Apr 1809: An Austrian corps is defeated by the forces of the Duchy of Warsaw in the Battle of Raszyn, part of the struggles of the Fifth Coalition. On the same day the Austrian main army is defeated by a First French Empire Corps led by Louis-Nicolas Davout at the Battle of Teugen-Hausen in Bavaria, part of a four-day campaign that ended in a French victory. Read more

🎂 Important Births on 19 April in World History

19 Apr 2016: The Rizzler, American internet personality Christian Joseph, known online as The Rizzler, is an American social media personality from New Jersey. He is best known for his "Rizz Face", an expression where he squints his eyes while stroking his chin and pursing his lips. Read more
19 Apr 2003: Jackson Merrill, American baseball player Jackson Peter Merrill is an American professional baseball center fielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Padres and made his MLB debut in 2024. He was selected for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. Read more
19 Apr 2002: Loren Gray, American singer and internet personality Loren Gray Beech is an American social media personality, singer, and songwriter. Gray rose to prominence in 2015 on the video sharing app, Musical.ly. In 2018, she released her debut single "My Story" under Virgin Records, with whom she was signed until February 2021, when she became an independent artist. Forbes reported she earned $2.4 million in 2019, making her the fourth highest-earning TikTok star. In 2020, Billboard ranked her among TikTok's top 10 music influencers with over 50 million followers. Read more
19 Apr 2001: Dalton Knecht, American basketball player Dalton Douglas Knecht is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Northeastern Junior College, Northern Colorado, and Tennessee. He was selected 17th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft. Read more
19 Apr 2001: PinkPantheress, British singer-songwriter and record producer Victoria Beverley Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her music blends styles such as drum and bass, UK garage, house, and alternative pop, often sampling music from the 1990s and 2000s and featuring affable stream-of-consciousness lyrics. She was named Producer of the Year by Billboard Women in Music in 2024 and was later named British Producer of the Year at the 2026 Brit Awards, becoming the youngest person and first woman in history to be awarded the honor. Read more
19 Apr 1999: Sebastian Kris, Australian-NewZealand rugby league player Sebastian Kris is a New Zealand international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League. Read more
19 Apr 1991: Kelly Olynyk, Canadian basketball player Kelly Tyler Olynyk is a Canadian professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the captain of the Canada men's national basketball team. He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, where he earned All-American honors in 2013. After forgoing his senior season, Olynyk was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft before being immediately traded to the Boston Celtics. In July 2017, he signed with the Miami Heat, where he helped the team reach the 2020 NBA Finals. He has also played for the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans, and the San Antonio Spurs. Read more
19 Apr 1990: Jackie Bradley Jr., American baseball player Jackie Bradley Jr., nicknamed "JBJ", is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Banana Ball Championship League and sports broadcaster. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals. Listed at 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), he bats left and throws right-handed. Read more
19 Apr 1990: Kim Chiu, Filipino actress, singer, and dancer Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu is a Filipino actress, singer, performer, television host, and businesswoman. Known for her performances in a range of genres across film and television, she rose to fame after winning the first teen edition of Pinoy Big Brother (2006). Chiu's films have grossed almost ₱1.5 billion at the box office, making her one of the highest-grossing box office stars of all time. Forbes Asia named her one of Asia Pacific's most influential Filipino personalities in 2020. Read more
19 Apr 1989: Simu Liu, Canadian actor Simu Liu is a Canadian actor. He rose to prominence by starring as Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), a role which he will reprise in Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Read more
19 Apr 1987: Joe Hart, English footballer Charles Joseph John Hart is an English football pundit, coach and former player who played as a goalkeeper. He was most recently the goalkeeper coach of EFL League Two club Shrewsbury Town. Read more
19 Apr 1987: Maria Sharapova, Russian tennis player Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a Russian former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 21 weeks. Sharapova won 36 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including five major titles, as well as the 2004 WTA Tour Championships. She is one of ten women to achieve the career Grand Slam in singles. Read more
19 Apr 1986: Candace Parker, American basketball player Candace Nicole Parker, nicknamed "Ace", is an American former professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She spent 13 seasons on the Sparks, two seasons with the Chicago Sky, and one season with the Las Vegas Aces, winning a championship with each team. Parker is credited with growing the popularity of women's basketball. She will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026. Read more
19 Apr 1983: Joe Mauer, American baseball player Joseph Patrick Mauer is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. Regarded as one of the greatest contact hitters at the catcher position in his prime, Mauer is the only catcher in MLB history to win three batting titles, and the only catcher to ever win a batting title in the American League (AL). Internationally, Mauer represented the United States. Read more
19 Apr 1982: Samuel C. Morrison, Jr., Liberian-American journalist, producer, and screenwriter Samuel C. Morrison Jr. is a Liberian-born screenwriter, director, producer and journalist. Read more
19 Apr 1982: Ali Wong, American comedian and actress Alexandra Dawn Wong is an American actress and comedian. Her accolades include two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Actor Award, and a Grammy Award nomination. She was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2020 and 2023. Read more
19 Apr 1981: Hayden Christensen, Canadian actor Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader in the Star Wars media franchise. He first appeared in the prequel trilogy films, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and later reprised his role in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023). Read more
19 Apr 1981: Lise Klaveness, Norwegian footballer and lawyer, president of the Norwegian Football Federation Lise Klaveness is a Norwegian lawyer and former footballer who played 73 matches for Norway's national team between 2002 and 2011. She is currently the president of the Norwegian Football Federation. Read more
19 Apr 1981: Troy Polamalu, American football player Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 12-year career as a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). An eight-time Pro Bowl and six-time All-Pro selection, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, his first year of eligibility. Read more
19 Apr 1979: Kate Hudson, American actress Kate Garry Hudson is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Born to singer Bill Hudson and actress Goldie Hawn, Hudson made her film debut in the 1998 drama Desert Blue, which was followed by supporting roles in several films. She rose to prominence with her portrayal of Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe's musical drama Almost Famous (2000), for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Read more
19 Apr 1978: James Franco, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter James Edward Franco is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), Milk (2008), Eat Pray Love (2010), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). He has collaborated with fellow actor Seth Rogen on multiple projects, including Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), The Interview (2014), Sausage Party (2016), and The Disaster Artist (2017), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Franco's performance in 127 Hours (2010) earned a Best Actor nomination at the 83rd Academy Awards. Read more
19 Apr 1978: Amanda Sage, American-Austrian painter and educator Amanda Sage is an American painter who has studied and worked in Vienna, Austria, and Los Angeles, California. She trained and worked with Ernst and Michael Fuchs, a classical artist who taught her Mischtechnik. Read more
19 Apr 1976: Michelle Feldman, American bowler Michelle Feldman is an American right-handed female professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA). A native of Skaneateles, New York, she resides in nearby Auburn, New York. She has been elected as a 2026 inductee into the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Hall of Fame. Read more
19 Apr 1975: Jason Gillespie, Australian cricketer and coach Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricket coach and former international cricketer who played all three formats of the game. A right-arm fast bowler, he was also a competent lower-order batsman whose unbeaten 201 in his last Test match is the highest score by a night-watchman in international cricket. Read more
19 Apr 1974: Madeleine Peyroux, American French jazz and blues singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux is an American jazz singer and songwriter who began her career as a teenager on the streets of Paris. She sang vintage jazz and blues songs before finding mainstream success in 2004 when her album Careless Love sold half a million copies. Read more
19 Apr 1972: Rivaldo Vitor Borba Ferreira, Brazilian footballer Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira, known simply as Rivaldo, is a Brazilian former footballer who played mainly as a second striker but also as a attacking midfielder, and on occasion deployed as a wide midfielder or as a winger. Known for his skill and creativity, Rivaldo was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, powerful ball striking from distance, and ability to both score and create goals. In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. With success at club and international level, he is one of ten players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Read more
19 Apr 1970: Kelly Holmes, English athlete and double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes is a retired British middle distance athlete and television personality. Read more
19 Apr 1968: Ashley Judd, American actress Ashley Tyler Ciminella, known professionally as Ashley Judd, is an American actress and activist. She grew up in a family of performing artists, the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna Judd. Her acting career has spanned more than three decades, and she has been involved in global humanitarian efforts and political activism. Judd made her television debut in 1991 with a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation and her film debut in 1992's Kuffs. Read more
19 Apr 1968: Mswati III, King (Ngwenyama) of Eswatini (Swaziland) Mswati III is the Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family. He heads an absolute monarchy, as he has unrestricted political authority and veto power over all branches of government and is constitutionally immune from prosecution. Along with his mother Queen Ntfombi, Mswati is the last remaining absolute monarch in Africa and one of the only twelve remaining absolute national or subnational monarchs in the world. Read more
19 Apr 1966: Véronique Gens, French soprano and actress Véronique Gens is a French operatic soprano. She has spent much of her career recording and performing Baroque music. Read more
19 Apr 1966: Paul Reiffel, Australian cricketer and umpire Paul Ronald Reiffel is an Australian cricket umpire and former cricketer who played in 35 Tests and 92 One Day Internationals (ODIs) from 1992 to 1999. He was part of Australia's victorious 1999 World Cup team. After retirement, he became a first-class cricket umpire. He is currently a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires. Read more
19 Apr 1965: Suge Knight, American record executive Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is an American former record executive who is the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in the 1990s. This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993. Knight is currently serving a 28-year sentence in prison for a fatal hit-and-run in 2015. Read more
19 Apr 1964: Kim Weaver, American astrophysicist, astronomer, and academic Dr. Kimberly A. Weaver is an American astrophysics astronomer and professor. She has worked with NASA on several research projects. She is often seen on television programs about astronomy. She is an expert in the area of x-ray astronomy. Read more
19 Apr 1960: Ara Gevorgyan, Armenian pianist, composer, and producer Ara Gevorgyan is an Armenian musician, composer and musical producer. In 2004 he was awarded the Honorary Artist of Armenia title by the President Robert Kocharyan. Read more
19 Apr 1960: Gustavo Petro, Colombian politician, 34th and current President of Colombia Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego is a Colombian politician, former guerrilla leader, and economist who has served as the 35th president of Colombia since 2022. Upon inauguration, he became the first left-wing president in the recent history of Colombia. Read more
19 Apr 1960: Frank Viola, American baseball player and coach Frank John Viola Jr. is an American former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins (1982–1989), New York Mets (1989–1991), Boston Red Sox (1992–1994), Cincinnati Reds (1995), and Toronto Blue Jays (1996). A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988. He is the pitching coach of the High Point Rockers. Read more
19 Apr 1957: Mukesh Ambani, Indian businessman, chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani is an Indian businessman. He is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, the largest public company in India by market capitalisation in 2025. As of April 2026, he is the second richest person in Asia and the 20th richest in the world, with a net worth of US$90.8 billion. He has attracted fame due to his growth and wealth, and criticism for being a plutocrat, and reports of market manipulation, political corruption, cronyism, and exploitation. Read more
19 Apr 1956: Anne Glover, Scottish biologist and academic Dame Lesley Anne Glover is a Scottish biologist and academic. She was Professor of molecular biology and cell biology at the University of Aberdeen before being named Vice Principal for External Affairs and Dean for Europe. She served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission from 2012 to 2014. In 2018 she joined the Principal's senior advisory team at the University of Strathclyde. Read more
19 Apr 1954: Trevor Francis, English footballer and manager (died 2023) Trevor John Francis was an English footballer who played as a forward for a number of clubs in England, the United States, Italy, Scotland and Australia. In 1979 he became Britain's first £1 million player following his transfer from Birmingham City to Nottingham Forest. He scored the winning goal for Forest in the 1979 European Cup final against Malmö. He won the European Cup again with the club the following year. At international level, he played for England 52 times between 1976 and 1986, scoring 12 goals, and played at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Read more
19 Apr 1952: Simon Cowell, English conservationist and author (died 2024) Simon Maxwell Cowell was a British conservationist, television presenter, and author best known for hosting the Animal Planet documentary series Wildlife SOS from 1996 to 2014. He was the founder of Wildlife Aid Foundation, originally titled Wildlife Aid, which is a charitable organization dedicated to the "rescue, rehabilitation, and release of British wildlife". Read more
19 Apr 1951: Jóannes Eidesgaard, Faroese educator and politician, Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands Jóannes Dan Eidesgaard is a former Faroese politician. He was the prime minister of the Faroe Islands from 2004, starting shortly after the general election of 20 January 2004, until 26 September 2008, when a new coalition took office. He served as finance minister from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2008 to 2011. He was a member of the Danish Folketing representing the Faroe Islands from 11 March 1998 until 20 November 2001. Read more
19 Apr 1946: Tim Curry, English actor and singer Timothy James Curry is an Emmy Award-winning English actor and singer. He is famous for playing many villainous roles and rose to prominence as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the musical film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London, 1974 Los Angeles, and 1975 Broadway musical stage productions of The Rocky Horror Show. Read more
19 Apr 1944: James Heckman, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate James Joseph Heckman is an American economist and Nobel laureate who serves as the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago, where he is also a professor at the college, a professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, Director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD), and co-director of Human Capital and Economic Opportunity (HCEO) Global Working Group. He is also a professor of law at the Law School, a senior research fellow at the American Bar Foundation, and a research associate at the NBER. He received the John Bates Clark Medal in 1983, and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2000, which he shared with Daniel McFadden. He is known principally for his pioneering work in econometrics and microeconomics. Read more
19 Apr 1944: Bernie Worrell, American keyboard player and songwriter (died 2016) George Bernard Worrell, Jr. was an American keyboardist and record producer, best known as a founding member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, and a touring member of Talking Heads in the 1980s. He also worked with such producers and musicians as Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, Bill Laswell, Mos Def, Sly and Robbie, Fela Kuti and Cream's Jack Bruce. The New York Times journalist Jon Pareles, described Worrell as "the kind of sideman who is as influential as some bandleaders" and stated that his music "indelibly changed the sound of funk and hip-hop." Worrell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic, along with 15 other members the band. He also appeared with Talking Heads when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Worrell was the uncle of rapper and actor Chino XL. Read more
19 Apr 1943: Margo MacDonald, Scottish journalist and politician (died 2014) Margo Symington MacDonald was a Scottish politician, teacher and broadcaster. She was the Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Govan from 1973 to 1974 and was Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1974 to 1979. She later served as an SNP and then Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Lothian from 1999 until her death. Read more
19 Apr 1942: Alan Price, English keyboard player, singer, and composer Alan Price is an English musician who first found prominence as the original keyboardist of the English rock band the Animals. He left the band in 1965 to form the Alan Price Set; his hit singles with and without the group include "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear", "The House That Jack Built", "Rosetta" and "Jarrow Song". Price is also known for work in film and television, taking occasional acting roles and composing the soundtrack of Lindsay Anderson's film O Lucky Man! (1973). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Animals. Read more
19 Apr 1941: Michel Roux, French-English chef and author (died 2020) Michel Roux, OBE, also known as Michel Roux Snr., was a French chef and restaurateur working in Britain. Along with his brother Albert, he opened Le Gavroche, which subsequently became the first three Michelin starred restaurant in Britain and The Waterside Inn, which was the first restaurant outside France to hold three stars for 25 years. Read more
19 Apr 1941: Bobby Russell, American singer-songwriter (died 1992) Bobby Russell was an American singer and songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he had five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the crossover pop hit "Saturday Morning Confusion". Russell was married to singer and actress Vicki Lawrence from 1972 to 1974. Read more
19 Apr 1939: Clay Shaw, American accountant, judge, and politician (died 2013) Eugene Clay Shaw Jr. was an American jurist and Republican politician who served as mayor of Fort Lauderdale and represented South Florida in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until 2007. He was defeated for re-election by Ron Klein in 2006. Read more
19 Apr 1939: Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran (died 2026) Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the second supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in the 2026 Iran war. A member of the Khamenei family, he previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He held the title Grand Ayatollah, and his tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years and six months, made him the longest-serving head of state in West Asia at the time of his death. Read more
19 Apr 1938: Stanley Fish, American theorist, author, and scholar Stanley Eugene Fish is an American literary theorist, legal scholar, author and public intellectual. He is the Floersheimer Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at Yeshiva University's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City. Fish has previously served as the Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Professor of Humanities and a professor of law at Florida International University and is dean emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Read more
19 Apr 1937: Antonio Carluccio, Italian-English chef and author (died 2017) Antonio Carluccio, OBE, OMRI was an Italian chef, restaurateur and food expert, based in London. He was called "the godfather of Italian gastronomy", with a career of more than 50 years. He is perhaps best remembered for his television appearances, including his partnership with fellow Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, and their BBC Two television series Two Greedy Italians. Read more
19 Apr 1937: Elinor Donahue, American actress Elinor Donahue is an American retired actress known for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson, on the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best. Read more
19 Apr 1937: Joseph Estrada, Filipino politician, 13th President of the Philippines Joseph Ejercito Estrada, also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor who served as the 13th President of the Philippines from 1998 until his removal from office in 2001. He served as the 14th Mayor of San Juan from 1969 to 1986, the ninth vice president under Fidel V. Ramos from 1992 to 1998, and the 26th Mayor of Manila from 2013 to 2019. His presidency was the third-shortest in Philippine history, after Emilio Aguinaldo and Sergio Osmeña. Read more
19 Apr 1936: Wilfried Martens, Belgian politician, 60th Prime Minister of Belgium (died 2013) Wilfried Achiel Emma Martens was a Belgian politician who served as prime minister of Belgium from 1979 to 1992, except from April to December 1981. A member of the Flemish Christian People's Party, during his premiership he oversaw the transformation of Belgium into a federal state. He was one of the founders of the European People's Party. Read more
19 Apr 1936: Jack Pardee, American football player and coach (died 2013) John Perry Pardee was an American professional football player and head coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). As a coach, he is the only head coach to helm a team in college football, the NFL, the United States Football League (USFL), the World Football League (WFL), and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Pardee was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986. Read more
19 Apr 1935: Dudley Moore, English actor, comedian, and pianist (died 2002) Dudley Stuart John Moore was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. He first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writer-performers in the groundbreaking satirical comedy revue Beyond the Fringe from 1960 to 1964. With another member of that team, Peter Cook, Moore collaborated on the BBC television series Not Only… But Also from 1965 to 1970. In their popular double act, Moore's buffoonery contrasted with Cook's deadpan monologues. They jointly received the 1966 British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance and worked together on other projects, such as the hit film Bedazzled (1967) and the Derek and Clive series of comedy albums. Moore and Cook ceased working together regularly after 1978, by which time Moore had settled in Los Angeles, California to concentrate on his film career. Read more
19 Apr 1935: Justin Francis Rigali, American cardinal Justin Francis Rigali is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. After a diplomatic and academic career in Rome, he served as Archbishop of St. Louis from 1994 to 2003. He then served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 2003 until his resignation in 2011, following a probe into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sex abuse scandal. He was created a cardinal in 2003. Read more
19 Apr 1934: Dickie Goodman, American singer-songwriter and producer (died 1989) Richard Dorian “Dickie” Goodman was an American musician and record producer. He is best known for inventing and using the technique of the "break-in", an early precursor to sampling, that used brief clips of popular records and songs to "answer" comedic questions posed by voice actors on his novelty records. He also wrote and produced some original material, most often heard on the B-sides of his break-in records. Read more
19 Apr 1933: Dickie Bird, English cricketer and umpire (died 2025) Harold Dennis "Dickie" Bird was an English cricketer and international cricket umpire. During his long umpiring career, he became a well regarded figure among players and the viewing public, not only due to his high standards as an umpire but also for humour and eccentricity. Read more
19 Apr 1933: Jayne Mansfield, American model and actress (died 1967) Jayne Mansfield was an American actress, Playboy Playmate, and singer. Mansfield was a sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s, and was known for her numerous publicity stunts, her buxom figure, and her personal life. She gained a reputation as Hollywood's "smartest dumb blonde". Read more
19 Apr 1932: Fernando Botero, Colombian painter and sculptor (died 2023) Fernando Botero Angulo was a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor. His signature style, also known as "Boterismo", depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political criticism or humor, depending on the piece. He was considered the most recognized and quoted artist from Latin America in his lifetime, and his art can be found in highly visible places around the world, such as Park Avenue in New York City and the Champs-Élysées in Paris, at different times. Read more
19 Apr 1931: Walter Stewart, Canadian journalist and author (died 2004) Walter Douglas Stewart was an outspoken Canadian writer, editor and journalism educator, a veteran of newspapers and magazines and author of more than twenty books, several of them bestsellers. The Globe and Mail reported news of his death with the headline: "He was Canada's conscience." Read more
19 Apr 1928: John Horlock, English engineer and academic (died 2015) Sir John Harold Horlock FRS FREng was a British professor of mechanical engineering, and was vice-chancellor of both the Open University and the University of Salford, as well as vice-president of the Royal Society. In 1977, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Read more
19 Apr 1928: Azlan Shah of Perak, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (died 2014) Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah was Sultan of Perak from 1984 until his death in 2014, the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, from 1989 to 1994, and the 5th Lord President of the Supreme Court, from 1982 to 1984. Read more
19 Apr 1927: Cora Sue Collins, American child actress (died 2025) Cora Susan Collins was an American former child actress who appeared in films during the Golden Years of Hollywood. Although she did not make the transition to a film career in adulthood, she appeared in 47 films in total. Read more
19 Apr 1926: Rawya Ateya, Egyptian captain and politician (died 1997)[citation needed] Rawya Ateya[I] was an Egyptian woman who became the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world in 1957. Read more
19 Apr 1925: Hugh O'Brian, American actor (died 2016) Hugh O'Brian was an American actor and humanitarian who starred in the ABC Western television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961) and the NBC action television series Search (1972–1973). His notable films included the adaptation of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians (1965); he also had a notable supporting role in John Wayne's last film, The Shootist (1976). Read more
19 Apr 1922: Erich Hartmann, German colonel and pilot (died 1993) Erich Alfred Hartmann, nicknamed Bubi, was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions. He was credited with shooting down a total of 352 Allied aircraft: 345 Soviet and 7 American while serving with the Luftwaffe. During his career, Hartmann was forced to crash-land his fighter 16 times after either mechanical failure or damage received from parts of enemy aircraft he had shot down; he was never shot down by direct enemy action. Read more
19 Apr 1921: Anna Lee Aldred, American jockey (died 2006) Anna Lee Aldred was an American jockey and trick rider in rodeos. She was the first woman in the United States to receive a jockey's license. She pursued her professional horse racing career from 1939 to 1945, winning many races at state and county fairs. She then pursued a second career as a trick rider from 1945 to 1950. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2004. Read more
19 Apr 1921: Leon Henkin, American logician (died 2006) Leon Albert Henkin was an American logician, whose works played a strong role in the development of logic, particularly in the theory of types. He was an active scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, where he made great contributions as a researcher and teacher, as well as in administrative positions. At this university he directed, together with Alfred Tarski, the Group in Logic and the Methodology of Science, from which many important logicians and philosophers emerged. He had a strong sense of social commitment and was a passionate defender of his pacifist and progressive ideas. He took part in many social projects aimed at teaching mathematics, as well as projects aimed at supporting women's and minority groups to pursue careers in mathematics and related fields. A lover of dance and literature, he appreciated life in all its facets: art, culture, science and, above all, the warmth of human relations. He is remembered by his students for his great kindness, as well as for his academic and teaching excellence. Read more
19 Apr 1921: Roberto Tucci, Italian Jesuit leader, cardinal, and theologian (died 2015) Roberto Tucci, SJ was an Italian Catholic theologian, journalist, and Jesuit priest. He played an important role at the Second Vatican Council and organized foreign trips taken by Pope John Paul II. He was made a cardinal in 2001, and continued to prefer being addressed as "Padre Tucci". Read more
19 Apr 1920: Marvin Mandel, American lawyer and politician, 56th Governor of Maryland (died 2015) Marvin Mandel was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th Governor of Maryland from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979, including a one-and-a-half-year period when Lt. Governor Blair Lee III served as the state's acting Governor from June 1977 to January 15, 1979 while Mandel was in federal prison for mail fraud and racketeering. He was a member of the Democratic Party, as well as Maryland's first, and to date, only Jewish governor. Read more
19 Apr 1920: Julien Ries, Belgian cardinal (died 2013) Julien Ries was a Belgian religious historian, titular archbishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. Prior to his death, Ries was described as "the greatest living religious scholar". Read more
19 Apr 1920: Ragnar Ulstein, Norwegian journalist and war historian (died 2019) Ragnar Leif Ulstein MM was a Norwegian journalist, writer and resistance member. He wrote several documentary books from the Second World War, including surveys of the SOE group Norwegian Independent Company 1, volunteers sailing from Norway to Scotland, refugee traffic from Norway to Sweden, and military intelligence in Norway. Read more
19 Apr 1919: Sol Kaplan, American pianist and composer (died 1990) Sol Kaplan was an American film and television music composer. Read more
19 Apr 1917: Sven Hassel, Danish-German soldier and author (died 2012) Sven Hassel was the pen name of the Danish-born Børge Willy Redsted Pedersen known for his bestselling novels about German soldiers fighting in World War II. In Denmark he used the pen name Sven Hazel. He is one of the bestselling Danish authors, possibly second only to Hans Christian Andersen. Read more
19 Apr 1913: Ken Carpenter, American discus thrower and coach (died 1984) William Kenneth Carpenter was an American discus thrower. He won the NCAA and AAU titles in 1935 and 1936, becoming the first two-time NCAA champion in a weight throw event from the University of Southern California (USC). In 1936 Carpenter won an Olympic gold medal, and between 1936 and 1940 held the American record in the discus. Read more
19 Apr 1912: Glenn T. Seaborg, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1999) Glenn Theodore Seaborg was an American chemist whose involvement in the synthesis, discovery and investigation of ten transuranium elements earned him a share of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His work in this area also led to his development of the actinide concept and the arrangement of the actinide series in the periodic table of the elements. Read more
19 Apr 1908: Irena Eichlerówna, Polish actress (died 1990) Irena Eichlerówna was a Polish actress. She was considered to be "Poland's Eleonora Duse". Read more
19 Apr 1903: Eliot Ness, American law enforcement agent (died 1957) Eliot Ness was an American Prohibition agent known for his efforts to bring down Al Capone while enforcing Prohibition in Chicago. He was leader of a team of law enforcement agents nicknamed The Untouchables, handpicked for their incorruptibility. The release of his memoir The Untouchables, months after his death, launched several screen portrayals establishing a posthumous fame for Ness as an incorruptible crime fighter. Read more
19 Apr 1902: Veniamin Kaverin, Russian author and screenwriter (died 1989) Veniamin Aleksandrovich Kaverin was a Soviet and Russian writer, dramatist and screenwriter associated with the early 1920s movement of the Serapion Brothers. Read more
19 Apr 1900: Iracema de Alencar, Brazilian film actress (died 1978) Iracema de Alencar was a Brazilian actress. She made her debut as the lead in the 1917 silent film Iracema. After working in theatre for many years she appeared in several other films, much later in her career. She was a beloved actor, and inspired many throughout her entire profession. Read more
19 Apr 1900: Richard Hughes, English author, poet, and playwright (died 1976) Richard Arthur Warren Hughes was a British writer of poems, short stories, novels and plays. Read more
19 Apr 1900: Roland Michener, Canadian lawyer and politician, 20th Governor General of Canada (died 1991) Daniel Roland Michener was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the 20th governor general of Canada from 1967 to 1974. Read more
19 Apr 1900: Rhea Silberta, American Yiddish songwriter and singing teacher (died 1959) Rhea Silberstein, known professionally as Rhea Silberta, was a Yiddish song composer and teacher of singing. Read more
19 Apr 1899: George O'Brien, American actor (died 1985) George O'Brien was an American actor, popular during the silent film era and into the sound film era of the 1930s. He is best known today as the lead actor in F. W. Murnau's 1927 Academy Award-winning film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. O'Brien also starred in a number of Westerns in the 1930s and 1940s, including roles in 14 films under director David Howard and 10 with acclaimed filmmaker John Ford. Read more
19 Apr 1899: Cemal Tollu, Turkish lieutenant and painter (died 1968) Cemal Tollu was a Turkish painter. He served in the Turkish War of Independence as a cavalry lieutenant. and witnessed the Fire of Manisa. In 1933 he founded the "D Group" with several other painters who were devoted to Cubism and Constructivism. In his later life he was to teach at the Fine Arts Academy of Istanbul until 1965. Read more
19 Apr 1898: Constance Talmadge, American actress and producer (died 1973) Constance Alice Talmadge was an American silent film star. She was the sister of actresses Norma and Natalie Talmadge. Read more
19 Apr 1897: Peter de Noronha, Indian businessman and philanthropist (died 1970)

Chevalier Peter Bertram Cypriano Castellino de Noronha was a businessman and civil servant of Kanpur, India. He was knighted by Pope Paul VI in 1965 for his work for the Christian community in India. Read more
19 Apr 1897: Jiroemon Kimura, Japanese super-centenarian, oldest verified man ever (died 2013) Jiroemon Kimura was a Japanese supercentenarian who was the verified oldest living person between Dina Manfredini's death on 17 December 2012 and his own death at age 116 years and 54 days on 12 June 2013. Kimura became the oldest verified living man in the world on 25 September 2011 at the age of 114, upon the death of Peru's Horacio Celi Mendoza, and later also the oldest man in history whose lifespan is verified on 28 December 2012, when he surpassed the age of Christian Mortensen (1882–1998). He is the only verified man who has lived to age 116, and one of only six men known to be the oldest living person. Read more
19 Apr 1894: Elizabeth Dilling, American author and activist (died 1966) Elizabeth Eloise Kirkpatrick Dilling was an American writer and political activist. In 1934, she published The Red Network—A Who's Who and Handbook of Radicalism for Patriots, which catalogs over 1,300 suspected communists and their sympathizers. Her books and lecture tours established her as the pre-eminent female right-wing activist of the 1930s, and one of the most outspoken critics of the New Deal, which she referred to as the "Jew Deal". In the mid-to-late 1930s, Dilling praised Nazi Germany. Read more
19 Apr 1892: Germaine Tailleferre, French composer and educator (died 1983) Marcelle Germaine Tailleferre was a French composer and the only female member of the group of composers known as Les Six. Read more
19 Apr 1891: Françoise Rosay, French actress (died 1974) Françoise Rosay was a French opera singer, diseuse, and actress who enjoyed a film career of over sixty years and who became a legendary figure in French cinema. She went on to appear in over 100 movies in her career. Read more
19 Apr 1889: Otto Georg Thierack, German jurist and politician (died 1946) Otto Georg Thierack was a German Nazi jurist and politician. Read more
19 Apr 1885: Karl Tarvas, Estonian architect (died 1975) Karl Tarvas was an Estonian architect. Karl Tarvas graduated as an architect from Riga Polytechnic Institute in 1915. Read more
19 Apr 1883: Henry Jameson, American soccer player (died 1938) Henry Wood Jameson was an American amateur soccer player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri and died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1904 he was a member of the St. Rose Parish team, which won the bronze medal in the soccer tournament. He played all four matches as a defender. Read more
19 Apr 1883: Richard von Mises, Austrian-American mathematician and physicist (died 1953) Richard Martin Edler von Mises was an Austrian scientist and mathematician who worked on solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, aeronautics, statistics and probability theory. He held the position of Gordon McKay Professor of Aerodynamics and Applied Mathematics at Harvard University. He described his work in his own words shortly before his death as:practical analysis, integral and differential equations, mechanics, hydrodynamics and aerodynamics, constructive geometry, probability calculus, statistics and philosophy. Read more
19 Apr 1882: Getúlio Vargas, Brazilian lawyer and politician, 14th President of Brazil (died 1954) Getúlio Dornelles Vargas was a Brazilian military officer, lawyer, and politician who served as the 14th and 17th president of Brazil, from 1930 to 1945 and from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Due to his long and controversial tenure as Brazil's provisional, constitutional, dictatorial and democratic leader, he is considered by historians as the most influential Brazilian politician of the 20th century. Read more
19 Apr 1879: Arthur Robertson, Scottish runner (died 1957) Arthur James Robertson was a British runner who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He won the gold medal in the 3-mile team race and a silver in the steeplechase. Read more
19 Apr 1877: Ole Evinrude, Norwegian-American engineer, invented the outboard motor (died 1934) Ole Evinrude, born Ole Andreassen Aaslundeie was an American entrepreneur, known for the invention of the first outboard motor with practical commercial application. Read more
19 Apr 1874: Ernst Rüdin, Swiss psychiatrist, geneticist, and eugenicist (died 1952) Ernst Rüdin was a Swiss psychiatrist, geneticist, eugenicist and Nazi, rising to prominence under Emil Kraepelin and assuming the directorship at the German Institute for Psychiatric Research in Munich. While he has been credited as a pioneer of psychiatric inheritance studies, he also argued for, designed, justified and funded the mass sterilization and clinical killing of adults and children. Read more
19 Apr 1873: Sydney Barnes, English cricketer (died 1967) Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. He was right-handed and bowled at a pace that varied from medium to fast-medium with the ability to make the ball both swing and break from off or leg. In Test cricket, Barnes played for England in 27 matches from 1901 to 1914, taking 189 wickets at 16.43, one of the lowest Test bowling averages ever achieved. In 1911–12, he helped England to win the Ashes when he took 34 wickets in the series against Australia. In 1913–14, his final Test series, he took a world record 49 wickets in a Test series, against South Africa. Read more
19 Apr 1872: Alice Salomon, German social reformer (died 1948) Alice Salomon was a German social reformer and pioneer of social work as an academic discipline. Her role was so important to German social work that the Deutsche Bundespost issued a commemorative postage stamp about her in 1989. A university, a park and a square in Berlin are all named after her. Read more
19 Apr 1863: Hemmo Kallio, Finnish actor (died 1940) Herman "Hemmo" Kallio was a Finnish stage and film actor and playwright. Read more
19 Apr 1861: Amalie Andersen, Norwegian actress (died 1924) Tilda Amalie Andersen was a Norwegian actress. Read more
19 Apr 1835: Julius Krohn, Finnish poet and journalist (died 1888) Julius Leopold Fredrik Krohn was a Finnish folk poetry researcher, professor of Finnish literature, poet, hymn writer, translator and journalist. He was born in Viipuri and was of Baltic German origin. Krohn worked as a lecturer on Finnish language in Helsinki University from the year 1875 and as a supernumerary professor from 1885. He was one of the most notable researchers into Finnish folk poetry in the 19th century. His native language was German. Read more
19 Apr 1832: José Echegaray, Spanish poet and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1916) José Echegaray y Eizaguirre was a Spanish civil engineer, mathematician, statesman, and one of the leading Spanish dramatists of the last quarter of the 19th century. He was awarded the 1904 Nobel Prize in Literature "in recognition of the numerous and brilliant compositions which, in an individual and original manner, have revived the great traditions of the Spanish drama". Read more
19 Apr 1831: Mary Louise Booth, American writer, editor and translator (died 1889) Mary Louise Booth was an American editor, translator, and writer. She was the first editor-in-chief of the women's fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar. Read more
19 Apr 1814: Louis Amédée Achard, French journalist and author (died 1875) Louis Amédée Eugène Achard was a prolific French novelist. Read more
19 Apr 1806: Sarah Bagley, American labor organizer (died 1889) Sarah George Bagley was an American labor leader in New England during the 1840s; an advocate of shorter workdays for factory operatives and mechanics, she campaigned to make ten hours of labor per day the maximum in Massachusetts. Read more

🕊️ Important Deaths on 19 April in World History

19 Apr 2024: Daniel Dennett, American philosopher and author (born 1942) Daniel Clement Dennett III was an American philosopher and cognitive scientist. His research centered on philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and philosophy of biology, particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. Read more
19 Apr 2023: Moonbin, South Korean singer and actor (born 1998) Moon Bin, also known professionally as Moonbin, was a South Korean singer, actor, and dancer under the label Fantagio. He was a member of the South Korean boy group Astro and its sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha. Read more
19 Apr 2023: Ron Hamilton, American musician (born 1950) Ronald Allen Hamilton, also known as "Patch the Pirate", was an American Christian musician, composer, preacher, and radio personality. He was president and owner of Majesty Music, a Christian music publisher, and the creator of the Patch the Pirate Adventure series. Hamilton became affectionately known as "Patch the Pirate" when he began wearing an eye patch after losing his left eye to cancer in 1978. He published hundreds of songs and hymns and wrote numerous cantatas, plays, and children's stories. Read more
19 Apr 2022: Kane Tanaka, Japanese supercentenarian (born 1903) Kane Tanaka was a Japanese supercentenarian who, until her death at the age of 119 years, 107 days, was the world's oldest verified living person, following the death of Chiyo Miyako on 22 July 2018. She is the oldest verified Japanese person and the second-oldest verified person ever, after Jeanne Calment. Read more
19 Apr 2021: Walter Mondale, American politician, 42nd Vice President of the United States (born 1928) Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale was the 42nd vice president of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 under President Jimmy Carter. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Minnesota in the United States Senate from 1964 to 1976, and was the Democratic nominee in the 1984 presidential election. Read more
19 Apr 2021: Jim Steinman, American composer, lyricist (born 1947) James Richard Steinman was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, musical theater, and film score genres. He wrote albums for Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf, including Bat Out of Hell, and also wrote and produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and Tyler's Faster Than the Speed of Night. Read more
19 Apr 2020: Ian Whitcomb, English singer-songwriter (born 1941) Ian Timothy Whitcomb was an English entertainer, singer-songwriter, record producer, writer, broadcaster and actor. As part of the British Invasion, his hit song "You Turn Me On" reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965. Read more
19 Apr 2017: Lu Chao-Hsuan, Taiwanese guitarist, performer and educator. (born 1929) Lu Chao-Hsuan Chinese: 吕昭炫; pinyin: Lǚ Zhāoxuàn was a guitar composer, performer and educator. He was born in Guishan District, Taoyuan and attended the 21st International Guitarist Symposium in Japan in 1962, where he performed “Hometown” and “Willow,” which later became his representative works. In 2000, he was appointed as an honorary consultant of the Taiwan Guitar Society and has become a highly representative figure in the field of guitar in Taiwan. Read more
19 Apr 2016: Patricio Aylwin, Chilean politician (born 1918) Patricio Aylwin Azócar was a Chilean politician, lawyer, author, professor and former senator who was the 30th president of Chile from 1990 to 1994. He was the first president to be elected after the end of Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship following the 1988 Chilean presidential referendum, marking the Chilean transition to democracy in 1990. He was from the Christian Democratic Party. Read more
19 Apr 2015: Raymond Carr, English historian and academic (born 1919) Sir Albert Raymond Maillard Carr was an English historian specialising in the history of Spain, Latin America, and Sweden. From 1968 to 1987, he was Warden of St Antony's College, Oxford. Read more
19 Apr 2015: Roy Mason, English miner and politician, Secretary of State for Defence (born 1924) Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley,, was a British Labour Party politician and Cabinet minister who was Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Read more
19 Apr 2013: François Jacob, French biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1920) François Jacob was a French biologist. He shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Jacques Monod and André Lwoff "for their discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis." He and Monod originated the idea that control of enzyme levels in all cells occurs through regulation of transcription. For his work in the French Resistance, he received the Cross of Liberation, the Légion d'honneur and Croix de guerre. Read more
19 Apr 2013: Al Neuharth, American journalist, author, and publisher, founded USA Today (born 1924) Allen Harold "Al" Neuharth was an American businessman, author, and columnist born in Eureka, South Dakota. He was the founder of USA Today, The Freedom Forum, and its Newseum. Read more
19 Apr 2012: Levon Helm, American musician and actor (born 1940) Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for The Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Helm was known for his deeply soulful, country-accented voice, multi-instrumental ability, and creative drumming style, highlighted on many of the Band's recordings, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Read more
19 Apr 2011: Elisabeth Sladen, English actress (born 1946) Elisabeth Clara Miller, known professionally as Elisabeth Sladen, was an English actress. She was best known for her recurring role as Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who from 1973 to 1976, alongside Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, before reprising the role with David Tennant between 2006 and 2010 and in spin-offs K-9 and Company (1981) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–2011). Read more
19 Apr 2009: J. G. Ballard, English novelist, short story writer, and essayist (born 1930) James Graham Ballard was an English novelist and short-story writer, satirist and essayist known for psychologically provocative works of fiction that explore the relations between human psychology, technology, sex and mass media. Ballard first became associated with New Wave science fiction for post-apocalyptic novels such as The Drowned World (1962). He later courted controversy with the short-story collection The Atrocity Exhibition (1970), which includes the 1968 story "Why I Want to Fuck Ronald Reagan", and later the novel Crash (1973), a story about car-crash fetishists. Read more
19 Apr 2007: Jean-Pierre Cassel, French actor (born 1932) Jean-Pierre Cassel was a French actor and dancer. A popular star of French cinema, he was initially known for his comedy film appearances, though he also proved a gifted dramatic actor, and accrued over 200 film and television credits in a career spanning over 50 years. Read more
19 Apr 2006: Albert Scott Crossfield, American engineer, pilot, and astronaut (born 1921) Albert Scott Crossfield was an American naval officer and test pilot. In 1953, he became the first pilot to fly at twice the speed of sound. Crossfield was the first of twelve pilots who flew the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane jointly operated by the United States Air Force and NASA.He is the subject of a biography called "Always Another Dawn." Read more
19 Apr 2004: Norris McWhirter, English author and activist co-founded the Guinness World Records (born 1925) Norris Dewar McWhirter was a British writer, right-wing political activist, co-founder of The Freedom Association, and a television presenter. He and his twin brother Ross were known internationally for founding the reference book The Guinness Book of Records which they wrote and updated annually together between 1955 and 1975. After Ross's assassination by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), Norris carried on alone as editor. Read more
19 Apr 2004: John Maynard Smith, English biologist and geneticist (born 1920) John Maynard Smith was a British theoretical and mathematical evolutionary biologist and geneticist. Originally an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War, he took a second degree in genetics under the biologist J. B. S. Haldane. Maynard Smith was instrumental in the application of game theory to evolution with George R. Price, and theorised on other problems such as the evolution of sex and signalling theory. Read more
19 Apr 2004: Jenny Pike, Canadian WWII servicewoman and photographer (born 1922) Jenny Pike was a Canadian photographer and servicewoman. She worked in London during WWII, and was the only female photographer to help develop the first photos of the D-Day landings. After the war, she worked as a darkroom technician for the police in Victoria, British Columbia. Read more
19 Apr 2002: Reginald Rose, American writer (born 1920) Reginald Rose was an American playwright and screenwriter. He wrote about controversial social and political issues. His realistic approach was particularly influential in the anthology programs of the 1950s. Read more
19 Apr 2000: Louis Applebaum, Canadian composer and conductor (born 1918) Louis Applebaum was a Canadian film score composer, administrator, and conductor. Read more
19 Apr 1999: Hermine Braunsteiner, Austrian-German SS officer (born 1919) Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was an Austrian SS Helferin and female camp guard at Ravensbrück and Majdanek concentration camps. She was the first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the United States to face trial in West Germany. Braunsteiner was known to prisoners of Majdanek concentration camp as "the Mare" because she was said to have kicked and stamped on prisoners, thrown children by their hair onto trucks that took them to be murdered in gas chambers, hanged young prisoners, and beaten prisoners to death. Read more
19 Apr 1998: Octavio Paz, Mexican poet, philosopher, and academic Nobel Prize laureate (born 1914) Octavio Paz Lozano was a Mexican philosopher, poet, and diplomat. For his body of work, he was awarded the 1977 Jerusalem Prize, the 1981 Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the 1982 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, and the 1990 Nobel Prize in Literature. Read more
19 Apr 1993: David Koresh, American cult leader (born 1959) David Koresh was an American cult leader and preacher who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its final prophet. His apocalyptic Biblical teachings, including interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the Seven Seals, attracted various followers. Read more
19 Apr 1993: George S. Mickelson, American captain, lawyer, and politician, 28th Governor of South Dakota (born 1941) George Speaker Mickelson was an American politician and Vietnam War veteran who served as the 28th governor of South Dakota from 1987 until his death in 1993 in a plane crash near Zwingle, Iowa. Read more
19 Apr 1992: Frankie Howerd, English actor and screenwriter (born 1917) Francis Alick Howard, better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian. Read more
19 Apr 1991: Stanley Hawes, English-Australian director and producer (born 1905) Stanley Gilbert Hawes MBE, was a British-born documentary film producer and director who spent most of his career in Australia, though he commenced his career in England and Canada. He was born in London, England and died in Sydney, Australia. He is best known as the Producer-in-Chief (1946–1969) of the Australian Government's filmmaking body, which was named, in 1945, the Australian National Film Board, and then, in 1956, the Commonwealth Film Unit. In 1973, after he retired, it became Film Australia. Read more
19 Apr 1989: Daphne du Maurier, English novelist and playwright (born 1907) Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Her parents were actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and his wife, actress Muriel Beaumont. Her grandfather George du Maurier was a writer and cartoonist. Read more
19 Apr 1988: Kwon Ki-ok, Korean pilot (born 1901) Kwon Ki-ok was the first Korean female aviator, as well as one of the first female pilots in China. Her name in Chinese is Quan Jiyu. Kwon went into exile in China during the Japanese occupation of Korea and became a lieutenant colonel in the Republic of China's air force. She returned home after the liberation of Korea and became a founding member of the Republic of Korea Air Force. Read more
19 Apr 1975: Percy Lavon Julian, American chemist and academic (born 1899) Percy Lavon Julian was an American research chemist and a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants. Julian was the first person to synthesize the natural product physostigmine, and a pioneer in industrial large-scale chemical synthesis of the human hormones progesterone and testosterone from plant sterols such as stigmasterol and sitosterol. His work laid the foundation for the steroid drug industry's production of cortisone, other corticosteroids, and artificial hormones that led to birth control pills. Read more
19 Apr 1971: Luigi Piotti, Italian race car driver (born 1913) Luigi Piotti was a racing driver from Italy. He participated in nine Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on January 22, 1956. He scored no championship points. Read more
19 Apr 1967: Konrad Adenauer, German politician, 1st Chancellor of Germany (born 1876) Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman and politician who served as the first chancellor of West Germany from 1949 to 1963. From 1946 to 1966, he was the first leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), a newly founded Christian democratic party, which became the dominant force in the country under his leadership. Adenauer is considered one of the founding fathers of the European Union. Read more
19 Apr 1966: Väinö Tanner, Finnish politician of Social Democratic Party of Finland; the Prime Minister of Finland (born 1881) Väinö Alfred Tanner was a leading figure in the Social Democratic Party of Finland, and a pioneer and leader of the cooperative movement in Finland. He was Prime Minister of Finland in 1926–1927. Read more
19 Apr 1961: Max Hainle, German swimmer (born 1882) Max Otto Hainle was a German swimmer who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics. He was born in Dortmund. As a member of the German swimming team he won the gold medal at the Paris Games. He also competed in the 1000 metre freestyle event and finished fourth. Read more
19 Apr 1960: Beardsley Ruml, American economist and statistician (born 1894) Beardsley Ruml was an American statistician, economist, philanthropist, planner, businessman and man of affairs in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Read more
19 Apr 1955: Jim Corbett, British-Indian colonel, hunter, and author (born 1875) Edward James Corbett was an Anglo-Indian hunter and author. He gained fame through hunting and killing several man-eating tigers and leopards in Northern India, as detailed in his bestselling 1944 memoir Man-Eaters of Kumaon. In his later years, he became an outspoken advocate of the nascent conservation movement. Read more
19 Apr 1952: Steve Conway, British singer (born 1921) Steve Conway was a British singer who rose to fame in the 1940s, following the end of the Second World War. Known for romantic ballads, he made dozens of recordings for EMI's Columbia label, appeared regularly on BBC Radio and toured the UK, before his career was cut short by his early death, aged 31, resulting from a heart condition. He has been described as "Britain's first post-war male heart-throb, a masculine equivalent of Vera Lynn in his sincerity and clear diction." Read more
19 Apr 1950: Ernst Robert Curtius, French-German philologist and scholar (born 1886) Ernst Robert Curtius was a German literary scholar, philologist, and Romance languages literary critic, best known for his 1948 study Europäische Literatur und Lateinisches Mittelalter, translated in English as European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages. Read more
19 Apr 1949: Ulrich Salchow, Danish-Swedish figure skater (born 1877) Karl Emil Julius Ulrich Salchow was a Danish-born Swedish figure skater, who dominated the sport in the first decade of the 20th century. Read more
19 Apr 1941: Johanna Müller-Hermann, Austrian composer (born 1878) Johanna Müller-Hermann was an Austrian composer and pedagogue. Read more
19 Apr 1940: Jack McNeela, Irish Republican Army, died on hunger strike Jack McNeela was an Irish republican and a senior member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) from Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland. McNeela was one of 22 Irish republicans who died on hunger-strike. As a young man, McNeela was an athlete in County Mayo and participated in Gaelic games. He came from a family of four brothers and two sisters. His brother Paddy was also a leader in the IRA, holding the position of Quartermaster general in Dublin. Read more
19 Apr 1937: Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington, English cartographer and politician (born 1856) William Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington,, known between 1895 and 1931 as Sir Martin Conway, was an English art critic, politician, cartographer and mountaineer, who made expeditions in Europe as well as in South America and Asia. Read more
19 Apr 1937: William Morton Wheeler, American entomologist and zoologist (born 1865) William Morton Wheeler was an American entomologist, myrmecologist and professor at Harvard University. Read more
19 Apr 1930: Georges-Casimir Dessaulles, Canadian businessman and politician (born 1827) Georges-Casimir Dessaulles, was a Canadian businessman, statesman and senator. Dessaulles was one of the oldest serving politicians ever, only surpassed by Giovanni Battista Borea d'Olmo. Appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the Province of Quebec in 1907 at age 80, Dessaulles served for 23 years before dying at age 102. Read more
19 Apr 1926: Alexander Alexandrovich Chuprov, Russian-Swiss statistician and theorist (born 1874) Alexander Alexandrovich Chuprov or Tschuprov was a Russian statistician who worked on mathematical statistics, sample survey theory and demography. Read more
19 Apr 1916: Ephraim Shay, American engineer, designed the Shay locomotive (born 1839) Ephraim Shay was an American merchant, entrepreneur and self-taught railroad engineer who worked in the state of Michigan. He designed the Shay locomotive and patented the type. He licensed it for manufacture through what became known as Lima Locomotive Works in Ohio; from 1882 to 1892 some 300 locomotives of this type were sold. Read more
19 Apr 1915: Thomas Playford, English-Australian politician, 17th Premier of South Australia (born 1837) Thomas Playford was an Australian politician who served two terms as Premier of South Australia. He subsequently entered federal politics, serving as a Senator for South Australia from 1901 to 1906 and as Minister for Defence from 1905 to 1907. Read more
19 Apr 1914: Charles Sanders Peirce, American mathematician and philosopher (born 1839) Charles Sanders Peirce was an American scientist, mathematician, logician, and philosopher who is sometimes known as "the father of pragmatism". According to philosopher Paul Weiss, writing in 1934, Peirce was "the most original and versatile of America's philosophers and America's greatest logician". Bertrand Russell wrote in 1959, "he was one of the most original minds of the later nineteenth century and certainly the greatest American thinker ever". Read more
19 Apr 1909: Signe Rink, Greenland-born Danish writer and ethnologist (born 1836) Nathalie Sophia Nielsine Caroline Rink was a Danish writer and ethnologist. Together with her husband Hinrich, she founded Greenland's first newspaper, Atuagagdliutit, in 1861. She is credited as being the first woman to publish works on Greenland and its culture. Read more
19 Apr 1906: Pierre Curie, French physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1859) Pierre Curie was a French physicist and chemist, and a pioneer in crystallography and magnetism. He shared one half of the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with his wife, Marie Curie, for their work on radioactivity. With their win, the Curies became the first married couple to win a Nobel Prize, launching the Curie family legacy of five Nobel Prizes. Read more
19 Apr 1906: Spencer Gore, English tennis player and cricketer (born 1850) Spencer William Gore was an English tennis player who won the first Wimbledon tournament in 1877 and a first-class cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club (1874–1875). Read more
19 Apr 1903: Oliver Mowat, Canadian politician, third Premier of Ontario, eighth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (born 1820) Sir Oliver Mowat was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Ontario Liberal Party leader. He served for nearly 24 years as the third premier of Ontario. He was the eighth lieutenant governor of Ontario and one of the Fathers of Confederation. He is best known for defending successfully the constitutional rights of the provinces in the face of the centralizing tendency of the national government as represented by his longtime Conservative adversary, John A. Macdonald. This longevity and power was due to his manoeuvring to build a political base around Liberals, Catholics, trade unions, and anti-French-Canadian sentiment. Read more
19 Apr 1901: Alfred Horatio Belo, American publisher, founded The Dallas Morning News (born 1839) Alfred Horatio Belo was the founder of The Dallas Morning News newspaper in Dallas, Texas, along with business partner George Bannerman Dealey. The company A. H. Belo Corporation, owner of The Dallas Morning News, was named in his honor. Read more
19 Apr 1893: Martin Körber, Estonian-German pastor, composer, and conductor (born 1817) Martin Georg Emil Körber was a Baltic German pastor, composer, writer and choir leader. Read more
19 Apr 1882: Charles Darwin, English biologist and theorist (born 1809) Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended from a common ancestor is now generally accepted and considered a fundamental scientific concept. In a joint presentation with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history and was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey. Read more
19 Apr 1881: Benjamin Disraeli, English journalist and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1804) Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, was a British statesman, Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his political battles with the Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone, and his one-nation conservatism or "Tory democracy". He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the British Empire and military action to expand it, both of which were popular among British voters. He is the only British prime minister to have been born Jewish. Read more
19 Apr 1854: Robert Jameson, Scottish mineralogist and academic (born 1774) Robert Jameson FRS FRSE was a Scottish naturalist and mineralogist. Read more
19 Apr 1840: Jean-Jacques Lartigue, Canadian bishop (born 1777) Jean-Jacques Lartigue, S.S., was a Canadian Sulpician, who served as the first Catholic Bishop of Montreal. Read more
19 Apr 1833: James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, Bahamian-English admiral and politician, 36th Commodore Governor of Newfoundland (born 1756) Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, was a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator. After seeing action at the capture of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, he saw action again, as captain of the third-rate HMS Defence, at the battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars, gaining the distinction of commanding the first ship to break through the enemy line. Read more
19 Apr 1831: Johann Gottlieb Friedrich von Bohnenberger, German astronomer and mathematician (born 1765) Johann Gottlieb Friedrich von Bohnenberger was a German astronomer born at Simmozheim, Württemberg. He studied at the University of Tübingen. In 1798, he was appointed professor of mathematics and astronomy at the university. Read more
19 Apr 1824: Lord Byron, English-Scottish poet and playwright (born 1788) George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, was a British poet. He was one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest British poets. Among his best-known works are the lengthy narratives Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; many of his shorter lyrics in Hebrew Melodies also became popular. Read more
19 Apr 1813: Benjamin Rush, American physician and educator (born 1745) Benjamin Rush was an American revolutionary, a Founding Father of the United States and signatory to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and a civic leader in Philadelphia, where he was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, educator, and the founder of Dickinson College. Rush was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress. He later described his efforts in support of the American Revolution, saying: "He aimed well." He served as Surgeon General of the Middle Department of the Continental Army and became a professor of chemistry, medical theory, and clinical practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Read more

Why is 19 April Important in World History?

Several significant political, cultural, educational, and sporting events took place on 19 April, making it an important topic for general knowledge and competitive examinations.

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What happened on 19 April in World history?

On 19 April, several important historical events, notable births, and major milestones occurred in World history.

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