On This Day in History: September 19

(Photo: Getty Images)

1356: The English capture the French King, John II, in the Battle of Poitiers

1862: Union defeats the Confederates in the Battle of Iuka

1881: The 20th US President James Garfield dies

1893: The Electoral Act in New Zealand (NZ) is passed, giving all women in NZ the right to vote. 

1940: Witold Pilecki voluntarily is captured by Nazis in order to infiltrate Auschwitz to smuggle information

1955: Ernie Banks, a Chicago Cubs slugger, hits 5th grand slam of the season

1957: First American underground nuclear test

1991: German tourists on the Austrian-Italian border in the Otzal Alps discover Otzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy

1995: The Unabomber’s manifesto is published by The Washington Post

2009: Lee Daniels’ “Precious” wins the People’s Choice Award

Margaret Gentry
Staff Reporter