On February 19th:

 1847  The Donner Party is Rescued in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

A harrowing tale of survival came to an end on February 19th, 1847, as the remaining members of the Donner Party, a group of pioneers stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a harsh winter, were rescued by a relief party. The Donner Party’s ordeal remains one of the most tragic episodes in American frontier history.

 1878  Thomas Edison Patents the Phonograph

On February 19th, 1878, American inventor Thomas Edison was granted a patent for his invention of the phonograph, a device capable of recording and reproducing sound. The phonograph revolutionized the music industry and laid the foundation for modern audio technology.

1942  Japanese Internment Executive Order 9066 is Signed

A dark chapter in American history unfolded on February 19th, 1942, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced relocation and internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. The internment camps remain a symbol of civil rights violations and wartime hysteria.