June 19 in History: Juneteenth, the FCC Is Created, and NASCAR Holds Its First Race

Scott Winters June 19, 2026 0 Comments

Discover what happened on June 19 in history, featuring pivotal moments in civil rights, broadcasting, sports, entertainment, technology, and important events tied to Michigan history.

What Happened on June 19 in History?

Important events on this day include enslaved people in Texas finally learning of their freedom in what became known as Juneteenth, Congress establishing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the first-ever NASCAR race, and the debut of the comic strip “Garfield”.

JUNE 19 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1778 – General George Washington’s troops finally left Valley Forge after a winter of training.

1846 – The New York Knickerbocker Club played the New York Base Ball Club in the first baseball game at the Elysian Field, Hoboken, NJ. It was the first organized baseball game. The Base Ball Club defeated the Knickerbocker 23-1.

1862 – President Abraham Lincoln outlined his Emancipation Proclamation, which outlawed slavery in U.S. territories.

1865 – Over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, TX, were finally informed of their freedom. The anniversary is still officially celebrated in Texas and 41 other contiguous states as Juneteenth.

1867 – In New York, NY, the Belmont Stakes was run for the first time.

1873 – Eadweard Muybridge successfully photographed a horse named “Sallie Gardner” in fast motion using a series of 24 stereoscopic cameras. This is considered the first step toward motion pictures.

1875 – A fire broke out in a blacksmith shop at Bridge Street and Mt. Vernon Avenue in Grand Rapids, MI. The blaze burned most of the west side and burned out of control for hours. Property damage was estimated at a $250,000.

1910 – The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, WA.

1911 – In Pennsylvania, the first motion-picture censorship board was established.

1912 – The 8 hour workday was established by the U.S. government.

1934 – The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration was established.

1934 – Congress established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The commission was created to regulate radio and TV broadcasting.

1939 – In Atlanta, GA, legislation was enacted that prohibit pinball machines in the city.

1941 – General Mills in Minneapolis created a new dry breakfast cereal called Cheerie Oats. The name was later shortened to Cheerios.

1942 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington, DC, to discuss the invasion of North Africa with President Theodore Roosevelt.

1943 – German refugee Henry Kissinger became a naturalized United States citizen.

1943 – The National Football League approved the merger of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season due to a shortage of players due to World War II.

1949 – The first ever NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

1951 – President Harry S. Truman signed the Universal Military Training and Service Act, which extended Selective Service until July 1, 1955 and lowered the draft age to 18.

1952 – The television show “I’ve Got a Secret” debuted on CBS.

1953 – The U.S. executed Julius and Ethel Rosenberg as spies, orphaning their two young sons.

1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was approved after surviving an 83-day filibuster in the Senate.

1973 – Pete Rose, of the Cincinnati Reds, got his 2,000th career hit.

1973 – Gordie Howe left the NHL to join his sons Mark and Marty in the WHA’s (World Hockey League) Houston Aeros.

1978 – The comic strip “Garfield” appeared in newspapers for the first time. “Garfield” holds the Guinness World Record for the most widely syndicated comic strip.

1981 – The movie “Superman II” set the all-time, one-day record for theater box-office receipts when it took in $5.5 million. Thirty years later, the one-day record, held by a “Harry Potter” sequel, was more than $90 million.

1987 – The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Louisiana law that required that schools teach creationism.

1988 – Over 3,000 East Germans gather at the Berlin Wall to hear Michael Jackson perform a concert on the other side of the wall.

1989 – The movie “Batman” premiered in theaters.

1992 – The movie “Batman Returns, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Batman, premiered in theaters.

1998 – Gateway was fined more than $400,000 for illegally shipping personal computers to 16 countries subject to U.S. export controls.

1998 – The grown-up Rick Schroder, who was a child star on TV’s “Silver Spoons”, joined the cast of “NYPD Blue”, replacing Jimmy Smits.

1998 – A study released said that smoking more than doubled risks of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

1998 – “The Simpsons” received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1998 – The Disney animated movie “Mulan” premiered in theaters.

1998 – The “X-Files” movie, “The X-Files: Fight the Future”, premiered in theaters.

1999 – Author Stephen King was seriously injured when he was struck from behind by a mini-van while walking along a road in Maine.

2000 – The Supreme Court ruled that a group prayer led by students at public-school football games violated the 1st Amendment’s principle that called for the separation of church and state.

2005 – At the London premiere of movie “War of the Worlds”, a man pretending to be a reporter squirts water from a fake microphone into Tom Cruise’s face. Cruise challenges the man and calls him a “jerk.”

2008 – The iTunes Music Store reached 5 billion songs sold.

2009 – The movie, “The Proposal”, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, premiered in theaters.

2009 – The game “FarmVille” launched on Facebook.

2012 – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in London’s Ecuatorian Embassy for fear of extradition to the U.S. after publication of previously classified documents which included footage of civilian killings by the U.S. Army.

2015 – The Pixar movie “Inside Out” was released.

2018 – The 10,000,000th United States Patent was issued

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON JUNE 19:

Erna Schneider Hoover – 100 years old (1926) – Mathematician and inventor

Marisa Galvany – 90 years old (1936) – Soprano and actress

Tobias Wolff – 81 years old (1945) – Short story writer, memoirist, and novelist

Phylicia Rashad – 78 years old (1948) – Actress

Neil Asher Silberman – 76 years old (1950) – Archaeologist and historian

Ann Wilson – 76 years old (1950) – Singer-songwriter and musician

Kathleen Turner – 72 years old (1954) – Actress

Mary Schapiro – 71 years old (1955) – Lawyer and politician

Jean Rabe – 69 years old (1957) – Journalist and author

Sergei Makarov – 68 years old (1958) – Russian-American ice hockey player and coach

Mark DeBarge – 67 years old (1959) – Singer-songwriter and trumpet player

Johnny Gray – 66 years old (1960) – Runner and coach

Patti Rizzo – 66 years old (1960) – Golfer

Paula Abdul – 64 years old (1962) – Singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, and presenter

Laura Ingraham – 63 years old (1963) – Radio host and author

Brent Goulet – 62 years old (1964) – Soccer player and manager

Brian Vander Ark – 62 years old (1964) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Timothy Morton – 58 years old (1968) – Philosopher and academic

Quincy Watts – 56 years old (1970) – Sprinter and football player

Brian Welch – 56 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Brian McBride – 54 years old (1972) – Soccer player and coach

Robin Tunney – 54 years old (1972) – Actress

Jahine Arnold – 53 years old (1973) – Football player

Doug Mientkiewicz – 52 years old (1974) – Baseball player, coach, and manager

Anthony Parker – 51 years old (1975) – Basketball player

Dennis Crowley – 50 years old (1976) – Businessman, co-founded Foursquare

Anita Wilson – 50 years old (1976) – Singer-songwriter and producer

Zoe Saldaña – 48 years old (1978) – Actress

Michael Yarmush – 44 years old (1982) – Actor

Macklemore – 43 years old (1983) – Rapper

Paul Dano – 42 years old (1984) – Actor

Marvin Williams – 40 years old (1986) – Basketball player

Rashard Mendenhall – 39 years old (1987) – Football player

Jacob deGrom – 38 years old (1988) – Baseball player

Ashly Burch – 36 years old (1990) – Actress, writer, and director

Xavier Rhodes – 36 years old (1990) – Football player

C. J. Mosley – 34 years old (1992) – Football player

Atticus Shaffer – 28 years old (1998) – Actor and YouTuber

Jordan Poole – 27 years old (1999) – Basketball player

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR JUNE 19:

International Box Day: Cats and cardboard boxes, it's a classic love affair! See your furry friend's eyes light up as they pounce, hide and play in their favorite cardboard creation.
Ugliest Dog Day: Celebrate Ugliest Dog Day by honoring lovable “so-ugly-they’re-cute” pups, exploring famous ugly breeds, and embracing the joy that inner beauty brings.
National Pets in Film Day: Celebrate National Pets in Film Day by honoring animal movie stars, learning about humane training, enjoying classic pet films, and supporting animal shelters.
National Watch Day: Celebrate National Watch Day by honoring classic and modern timepieces, exploring watchmaking history, and enjoying the style, craft, and precision of horology.
Real Food Day: Discover Real Food Day, celebrating minimally processed, nutritious meals, healthier lifestyle choices, and fun activities that inspire real food habits for all.
World Sauntering Day: Discover World Sauntering Day, celebrating slow, mindful walks that reduce stress, boost well-being, and help people savor the simple joys of everyday life.
Juneteenth: Discover the history and meaning of Juneteenth, honoring the end of slavery with reflection, education, community celebrations, and African American culture.
National Garfield the Cat Day: Settle in with some coffee and lasagna as a nod to the pop culture icon Garfield, the cat who captured our hearts first as a comic strip, then in movies and more.
National Take Back the Lunch Break Day: In today’s nonstop work culture, lunch breaks get more and more shoved to the side. Take back that important time to eat and unwind, and improve your productivity.
Waste & Recycling Workers Week: Give a big thanks to the men and women who keep your community sanitary and hygienic on Garbage Man Day, or Waste & Recycling Workers Week.
World Sickle Cell Day: World Sickle Cell Day raises global awareness of sickle cell disease, supports affected families, and promotes education, research, and life‑saving care.
National FreeBSD Day: Imagine a world where an open-source operating system quietly powers much of our digital lives. National FreeBSD Day celebrates this very system, FreeBSD, which has become a cornerstone in technology. This free and open-source operating system, originating from the University of California at Berkeley in 1993, has influenced many platforms...
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Explore the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, honoring survivors, exposing abuse in war, and inspiring justice-focused action.
Scleroderma Awareness Week: Scleroderma Awareness Week is a special time dedicated to shedding light on a little-known but impactful disease. This week aims to bring attention to scleroderma, a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes hardening and tightening of the skin and other connective tissues. The week encourages conversations about the challenges faced by...
Animal Rights Awareness Week: Animal Rights Awareness Week is a significant event celebrated every year during the third week of June. This week is dedicated to educating people about the importance of animal rights globally. It provides a platform to discuss how animals are unfairly used in industries such as entertainment, cosmetics, and science...
Learning Disability Week: Understanding diverse learning needs empowers educators to create inclusive environments where every student can thrive and succeed.