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History of the Day for:

February 19

1674: The Treaty of Westminster was signed, ending the Anglo-Dutch War; under its terms, New Netherlands (New York) became British.
1807: Aaron Burr became the first vice president of the United States to be arrested; he was charged with treason for planning an expedition to invade Mexico.
1878: The phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison, was patented.
1881: Kansas became the first state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
1919: The first Pan-African Congress, organized by W E B Du Bois, was held in Paris.
1922: Vaudeville star Ed Wynn became the first big name in show business to sign for a regular radio show.
1942: President Roosevelt signed an executive order giving the military the authority to relocate and intern Japanese-Americans.
1945: The U.S. Fifth Fleet launched the invasion of Iwo Jima against the Japanese.
1958: Carl Perkins, whose "Blue Suede Shoes" was one of the biggest hits of 1957, left Sun Records to become Columbia's first rockabilly artist.
1960: Bil Keane's "Family Circus" cartoon strip debuted.
1974: In response to the Grammy Awards, Dick Clark arranged his own awards show, the American Music Awards.
1977: Warner Brothers released one of the biggest-selling albums of all time - "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac.
1985: Canned and bottled Cherry Coke was introduced by Coca-Cola.