1. On April 19, 1775, the opening battles of the American Revolution took place in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. While this event did not happen in North Carolina, it is a significant moment in American history that is remembered each year on April 19.

2. On April 19, 1861, the Civil War began with the firing on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. North Carolina was one of several Southern states that seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy, and the state played a significant role in the war.

3. On April 19, 1898, the Spanish-American War began, marking the United States' first overseas conflict. North Carolina played a significant role in the war effort, with volunteers from the state serving in the military and a naval squadron being dispatched from Norfolk, Virginia.

4. On April 19, 1960, North Carolina native Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Rome, becoming the first American woman to achieve this feat. Rudolph was a track and field star who overcame childhood polio and went on to become one of the most successful athletes in Olympic history.

5. On April 19, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, causing the largest offshore oil spill in US history. While this event did not take place in North Carolina, it is a reminder of the environmental and economic impact that disasters can have on coastal communities.