1. On January 19, 1967, New Jersey signed a law that eliminated the death penalty for all crimes. The law was later amended in 1982 to allow for the death penalty in cases of murder with aggravating circumstances, but was once again repealed in 2007.

2. On January 19, 1971, the first U.S. public high school to have a gay-straight alliance was founded in Teaneck, New Jersey. The group was called the "Matters of Personal Concerns" (MPC) and was formed by students who were concerned about discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.

3. In 1990, on January 19, New Jersey was hit by a severe winter storm known as the "No Name Storm" or the "1990 Super Bowl Blizzard." The storm caused over $1 billion in damages and killed over 270 people across the eastern United States.

4. On January 19, 1937, New Jersey-born actor, comedian, and singer Phil Everly was born. Everly was one half of the rock and roll duo The Everly Brothers, known for hits such as "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie."

5. On January 19, 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify the United States Constitution, following Delaware and Pennsylvania. The Constitution would eventually be ratified by all 13 original states and remains the supreme law of the land in the United States today.