March 19
1853
During the Taiping Rebellion in China, the rebels captured Nanking and renamed it T’en-ching (Heavenly Capital).
1920
The United States Senate voted down signing the Treaty of Versailles for the second time.
1931
Nevada state legislature legalized gambling.
1953
The Academy Awards were first televised.
1996
Sarajevo became a united city again after four years when Moslem-Croat authorities took control of the last district held by Serbs.
2003
Operation Iraqi Freedom is launched with air strikes on Baghdad, the beginning of the war with Iraq (March 20 in Iraq).
Birthdays
William Jennings Bryan
1860–1925, American political leader, born in Salem, Illinois.
David Livingstone
missionary and explorer (1813)
Richard Francis Burton
explorer (1821)
Wyatt Earp
law officer (1848)
Earl Warren
jurist (1891)
Philip Roth
author (1933)
Glenn Close
actress (1947)
Bruce Willis
actor (1955)