1. In 1809, Isaac Shelby was inaugurated as Kentucky's first governor. Shelby had been a Revolutionary War hero and played a significant role in the early years of Kentucky statehood, serving as a member of the state's constitutional convention and helping to establish its first capital.

2. On January 19, 1861, Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin called a special session of the state legislature to consider the issue of secession. Although many Kentuckians sympathized with the Confederate cause, the state ultimately chose to remain in the Union.

3. The famous racehorse Man o' War was foaled on January 19, 1917 at a farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Man o' War went on to become one of the greatest racehorses of all time, winning 20 of his 21 career races and setting several world records.

4. On January 19, 1969, the University of Kentucky basketball team defeated the University of Mississippi by a score of 105-80. This game marked the first appearance of Kentucky's "flying wedge" offense, a fast-paced and highly efficient system that would go on to help the Wildcats win two national championships in the 1970s.

5. In 2006, the city of Louisville, Kentucky hosted the Muhammad Ali Cultural Center's groundbreaking ceremony on January 19. The center is dedicated to promoting the legacy and values of the boxing legend and Louisville native, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes and cultural figures of the 20th century.