Today is Monday, May 19, 2025, marking the 139th day of the year with 226 days left. On this day in history, a tragic gun battle took place in Matewan, West Virginia in 1920, resulting in the death of ten individuals as coal miners clashed with private security guards over union involvement.
In addition, in 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was executed for adultery at the Tower of London. Meanwhile, in 1883, William Cody debuted his renowned “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show in Omaha, Nebraska. President Warren G. Harding signed the Emergency Quota Act in 1921, establishing national quotas for immigrants.
A significant meeting occurred in 1943 as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed on the D-Day invasion of France, setting the date for May 1, 1944. However, the invasion was delayed by a month due to expansion plans. In 1962, Marilyn Monroe famously sang “Happy Birthday to You” to President John F. Kennedy during a Democratic fundraiser in New York.
Fast forward to 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in a royal wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Celebrating their birthdays today are TV personality David Hartman (90), musician-composer Pete Townshend of The Who (80), singer-actor Grace Jones (77), former racing driver Dario Franchitti (52), basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett (49), country musician-producer Shooter Jennings (46), comedian-actor Michael Che (42), singer Sam Smith (33), and media personality-singer JoJo Siwa (22).
This day in history serves as a reminder of significant events and milestones that have shaped the world we live in today.
