This Day In History : November 19

1996 United States

Space Shuttle STS-80 (Columbia 21) Launched into Space

On November 19, 1996, the Space Shuttle Columbia (mission STS-80) was launched into space. This mission focused on deploying and retrieving scientific payloads and conducting experiments in microgravity, contributing to advancements in space science and technology.

Also on This Day in History November 19

Discover what happened on November 19 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, November 19
  • 1912 George E Palade

    Romanian-American cell biologist (ribosomen, Nobel 1974)

  • 1917 Indira Gandhi

    4th Prime Minister of India (1966-77, 1980-84)

  • 1956 Eileen Collins

    American USAF and astronaut (STS 63, 84)

  • 1918 Hendrik Christoffel Van de Hulst

    Dutch astronomer who predicted theoretically (1944) that in interstellar space the amount of neutral atomic hydrogen

  • 1799 René Caillié

    French explorer and the first European to return alive from the town of Timbuktu

Deaths on This Day, November 19
  • 1883 William Siemens

    German-British physicist and inventor of open-hearth furnace

  • 2013 Frederick Sanger

    British biochemist (worked out structure of insulin, developed Sanger sequencing to sequence complete genome, Nobel Prize 1958, 1980)

  • 1959 Edward C. Tolman

    American psychologist (behaviorism)

  • 1910 Rudolf Fittig

    German chemist (synthesizing organic compounds)

  • 1897 William Seymour Tyler

    American educator and historian

1946

Afghanistan, Iceland, and Sweden join the United Nations

On November 19, 1946, Afghanistan, Iceland, and Sweden were admitted as member states of the United Nations. Their inclusion marked an important step in the post-World War II efforts to promote international cooperation, peace, and security through the UN's expanding global membership.
1955

The National Review published its first issue

On November 19, 1955, The National Review published its first issue. Founded by William F. Buckley Jr., the magazine aimed to promote conservative ideas and influence American political discourse, becoming a prominent voice in shaping conservative thought in the United States.
1999

China Launches Its First Shenzhou Spacecraft, Shenzhou 1

On November 19, 1999, the People's Republic of China successfully launched its first Shenzhou spacecraft, Shenzhou 1. This uncrewed mission marked a significant milestone in China's space exploration efforts, laying the groundwork for future crewed spaceflights and the development of the Chinese space program.
2006

Nintendo Wii Released in North America by President Satoru Iwata

On November 19, 2006, Nintendo released the innovative video game console, the Nintendo Wii, in North America under the leadership of President Satoru Iwata. The Wii introduced motion-sensing controls and a range of interactive games that appealed to a broad audience, revolutionizing the gaming industry with its innovative approach to gameplay.
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