Historical Events on February 19

Thomas Edison

Here are some historical events that took place on February 19th:

1878: Thomas Edison receives a patent for his phonograph, the first device capable of recording and playing back sound.

1942: World War II: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese-Americans to internment camps.

1945: World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima begins between the United States and the Empire of Japan.

1986: The Soviet Union launches the Mir space station into orbit. Mir would become the first modular space station and remain in orbit until 2001.

2002: NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins its mapping mission of Mars, providing important data on the planet's surface and atmosphere.

2008: Fidel Castro announces his resignation as President of Cuba, ending his 49-year reign.

2011: The United States Department of Justice announces the indictments of 127 members of the Mafia, including top leaders from all five major Mafia families in New York City.

These are just a few notable events that occurred on February 19th throughout history.