1. In 1778, the famous British explorer Captain James Cook became the first known European to make contact with the Hawaiian Islands. Cook and his crew arrived on January 19, 1778, and remained in the islands for several weeks, mapping the coastlines and interacting with the local population.

2. On January 19, 1893, a group of American businessmen and politicians overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy and established a provisional government. The coup d'etat was supported by the United States government and paved the way for Hawaii's eventual annexation as a U.S. territory.

3. January 19 is also celebrated in Hawaii as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader. King visited Hawaii in 1959, just a few months after Hawaii became the 50th state, and spoke at the University of Hawaii's Hilo campus.

4. In 1966, the Hilo Tsunami of 1960 Memorial was dedicated on January 19. The memorial honors the 61 victims of a devastating tsunami that struck the island of Hawaii in 1960 and is located at Laupahoehoe Point just north of Hilo.

5. On January 19, 2020, the Honolulu Marathon celebrated its 47th anniversary. The event is one of the largest marathons in the world, with over 30,000 participants from around the globe. The race begins and ends in Waikiki and takes runners on a scenic course that winds through the heart of Honolulu.