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On this day

June 19 Friday, June 19, 2026

A curious almanac of what happened on June 19 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.

🎂

Were you born on June 19?

Find out what the world looked like the day you arrived.

13
Events
7
Birthdays
7
Holidays
Read today's stories The #1 songs
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1306
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
UK history 720 years ago

The Earl of Pembroke's army defeats Bruce's Scottish army at the Battle of Methven.

The Earl of Pembroke's forces defeat Robert the Bruce's Scottish army at the Battle of Methven, a major setback in Bruce's campaign for Scottish independence.

Read the full story →

History

What happened on June 19

13 verified entries Full timeline
  1. 325

    The original Nicene Creed is adopted at the First Council of Nicaea.

    Church leaders adopt the original Nicene Creed, establishing core Christian beliefs and practices.

    Religion
  2. 1179

    The Battle of Kalvskinnet takes place outside Nidaros (now Trondheim), Norway. Earl Erling Skakke is killed, and the battle changes the tide of the civil wars.

    Earl Erling Skakke is killed in the Battle of Kalvskinnet, altering the course of Norway's civil wars.

    War
  3. 1306

    The Earl of Pembroke's army defeats Bruce's Scottish army at the Battle of Methven.

    The Earl of Pembroke's forces defeat Robert the Bruce's Scottish army at the Battle of Methven, a major setback in Bruce's campaign for Scottish independence.

    UK history
  4. 1586

    English colonists leave Roanoke Island, after failing to establish England's first permanent settlement in North America.

    English colonists abandon Roanoke Island, unable to sustain the first permanent English settlement in North America.

    US history
  5. 1718

    At least 73,000 people died in the 1718 Tongwei-Gansu earthquake due to landslides in the Qing dynasty.

    A devastating earthquake in Tongwei and Gansu provinces triggers massive landslides that kill at least 73,000 people in the Qing dynasty.

    Disaster
  6. 1785

    The Boston King's Chapel adopts James Freeman's revised prayer book, without the Nicene Creed, establishing it as the first Unitarian congregation in the United States.

    James Freeman revises the prayer book for King’s Chapel, removing the Nicene Creed and founding the first Unitarian congregation in the United States.

    Religion
  7. 1821

    Decisive defeat of the Filiki Eteria by the Ottomans at Drăgășani (in Wallachia).

    The Ottoman forces decisively defeated the Filiki Eteria in the Battle of Drăgășani.

    European history
  8. 1865

    Over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, Texas, United States, are officially informed of their freedom. The anniversary was officially celebrated in Texas and other states as Juneteenth. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in the United States.

    Slaves in Galveston, Texas, are informed of their freedom; Juneteenth is now a federal holiday.

    US history
  9. 1910

    Father's Day is celebrated for the first time in Spokane, Washington.

    Sonora Smart Dodd organized the first Father's Day celebration at the YMCA in Spokane to honor her father, a Civil War veteran who raised six children alone. The observance would eventually become a national holiday in the United States.

    World history
  10. 1947

    Pan Am Flight 121 crashes in the Syrian Desert near Mayadin, Syria, killing 15 and injuring 21.

    A Pan American Airways flight crashes in the Syrian desert near Mayadin, resulting in 15 deaths and 21 injuries.

    Disaster
  11. 1987

    Basque separatist group ETA commits one of its most violent attacks, in which a bomb is set off in a supermarket, Hipercor, killing 21 and injuring 45.

    ETA sets off a bomb at the Hipercor supermarket, killing 21 and injuring 45.

    Crime
  12. 2007

    The al-Khilani Mosque bombing in Baghdad leaves 78 people dead and another 218 injured.

    A bombing at the al-Khilani Mosque in Baghdad kills 78 people and injures 218 others.

    War
  13. 2012

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requests asylum in London's Ecuadorian Embassy for fear of extradition to the US after publication of previously classified documents including footage of civilian killings by the US army; he will remain there until 2019.

    Julian Assange requests asylum in London's Ecuadorian Embassy, fearing extradition over WikiLeaks publications.

    Politics
See all 13 events on June 19 →

Born today

Famous birthdays on June 19

7 this date All birthdays
Hugh Dancy
🎂 51

Hugh Dancy

English actor and model

Hugh Dancy, the English actor known for his roles in Black Hawk Down, Ella Enchanted, and as criminal profiler Will Graham in NBC's Hannibal, turns 50 today.

Born
1975
Turns 51
today
Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig

American baseball player

1903 – 1941
Wally Hammond

Wally Hammond

English cricketer and coach

1903 – 1965
John Ralston Saul

John Ralston Saul

Canadian philosopher and author

b. 1947 · 79
Neil Asher Silberman

Neil Asher Silberman

American archaeologist and historian

b. 1950 · 76
Subcomandante Marcos

Subcomandante Marcos

Mexican insurgent and EZLN leader

b. 1957 · 69
Johnny Gray

Johnny Gray

American runner and coach

b. 1960 · 66

Music

The number one songs on June 19

Across the years Full chart history
One Dance album cover

🇬🇧 #1 on June 19, 2016

"One Dance"

by Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla

#1 for 15 weeks
Apple Music ↗

Also #1 on this day

  • 2025
    "Manchild"
    — Sabrina Carpenter
  • 2024
    "Houdini"
    — Eminem
  • 2023
    "Sprinter"
    — Dave and Central Cee
  • 2022
    "As It Was"
    — Harry Styles
  • 2021
    "Good 4 U"
    — Olivia Rodrigo
  • 2020
    "Rockstar"
    — DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch

Film & TV

At the movies

Box office #1 and premieres All releases
The Empire Strikes Back poster

Box-office #1

The Empire Strikes Back

1980 · dir. Irvin Kershner

Wide US release on May 23, 1980. Goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year.

Sci-fiStar Wars $538M worldwide
🏆 Sport

June 19, 2005

Following a series of Michelin tire failures during the United States Grand Prix weekend at Indianapolis, and without an agreement being reached, 14 cars from seven teams in Michelin tires withdrew after completing the formation lap, leaving only six cars from three teams on Bridgestone tires to race.

The United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis ends with only six cars racing due to tire disputes.

Read the story
🔬 Science

June 19, 1995

Java 1.0 is unveiled

Sun Microsystems releases a programming language that will become the backbone of enterprise computing and Android.

Read the story

Today is also

Holidays & observances

7 celebrated today

Day of the Independent Hungary (Hungary)

International

A number of public holidays and special events take place each year in Hungary

Juneteenth (United States)

International

Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States

Labour Day (Trinidad and Tobago)

International

Labour Day is an official public holiday in many countries

Laguna Day (Laguna)

International

Public holidays in the Philippines are of two types: regular holidays and special non-working days

Birthday of Jose Gervasio Artigas (Uruguay)

International

José Gervasio Artigas Arnal was a soldier and statesman who is regarded as a national hero in Uruguay and the father of Uruguayan nationhood

World Sickle Cell Day (International)

International

Sickle cell disease (SCD), also simply called sickle cell, is a group of inherited hemoglobin-related blood disorders

❝
Freedom is never given; it is won.

— A. Philip Randolph · born June 19, 1889