1. In 1799, the first inauguration ceremony was held in Washington D.C. for President George Washington. The ceremony was held at Federal Hall on May 19.
2. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution was ratified on May 19, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This clause established that the federal Constitution, and federal law generally, take precedence over state laws.
3. On May 19, 1965, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Thurgood Marshall as the first black justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall served on the high court for 24 years, retiring in 1991.
4. In 1979, the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) won their first NBA championship on May 19, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
5. The largest earthquake ever recorded in the western hemisphere, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, struck southern Alaska on May 19, 1964. The earthquake caused widespread damage and triggered a deadly tsunami.