What happened on this day in history: King George V changes the royal surname, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed, and other events that happened on June 19th throughout history.
1846: The First Official Baseball Game Is Played
The New York Nine play the Knickerbockers at New Jersey’s Elysian Fields in the first baseball game ever officially recorded. The Mutuals won, 23-1, over the course of four innings. Baseball grew in popularity in the decades that followed, though the leagues we know today wouldn’t take shape for another half-century and the first World Series would not be held until 1903.
1865: The End Of Slavery Is Announced In Texas
Public DomainA group of people attending a Juneteenth celebration in Texas in 1900.
Federal troops arrive in Texas two months after the end of the Civil War and officially declare the end of slavery. General Gordon Granger announced: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
The date, since dubbed “Juneteenth,” became an annual celebration in Texas that soon spread to other states and later became a federal holiday in 2021.
1867: Emperor Maximilian Of Mexico Is Executed
Emperor Maximilian of Mexico is executed by firing squad. Maximilian was an Austrian archduke who reigned as emperor of the Second Mexican Empire. While in power, Maximillian issued new laws concerning various aspects of government, including infrastructure and immigration. He also issued laws that granted all Mexicans the right to freedom of speech and created a public education system. However, growing republican forces eventually threatened Maximilian, and he was ultimately taken prisoner and sentenced to death.
1917: King George V Changes The Royal Surname
King George V of Britain changes the royal surname from “Saxe-Coburg-Gotha” to “Windsor.”
Though some members of the British royal family had German roots, King George V was sensitive to the anti-German sentiment that had arisen during World War I. Three years into the conflict, he renamed the family “Windsor” after Windsor Castle, since the royal family was already affiliated with the name.
1953: Julius And Ethel Rosenberg Are Executed
Public DomainJulius and Ethel Rosenberg’s trial captivated America during the early days of the Cold War.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed by electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. They had been found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage in 1951 after allegedly planning to pass on American atomic secrets from the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union. Both Rosenbergs, however, denied any wrongdoing and maintained their innocence until their deaths.
2013: James Gandolfini Dies
UPI/Alamy Stock PhotoWhile vacationing with his family in Rome on June 19, 2013, The Sopranos actor James Gandolfini died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of just 51.
On June 19, 2013, The Sopranos star James Gandolfini enjoyed a day of traveling around Rome with his family before he planned to attend a film festival in Sicily where he was to be honored a few days later. But at around 10 p.m. that night, Gandolfini’s 14-year-old son Michael found him unconscious on the bathroom floor of their hotel.
Within an hour, Gandolfini was pronounced dead at the age of just 51. Called the “greatest dramatic actor in TV history,” Gandolfini carved out an iconic place in American culture with his portrayal of Tony Soprano.
2016: Anton Yelchin Dies
Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin dies at the age of 27 after his SUV rolled down a hill and crushed him against a fence outside of his Los Angeles home.
2018: Koko The Gorilla Dies
Koko.org/YouTubeKoko reading her alphabet book.
Koko the gorilla dies in her sleep at her enclosure in Woodside, California. Renowned for her reported ability to sign more than 1,000 words using a modified version of American Sign Language, Koko had captivated people around the world for decades.
