1. On January 19, 1861, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States, leading to the start of the Civil War.

2. On January 19, 1987, the first Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday was celebrated in South Carolina, following the official recognition of the holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

3. In 1953, the first live, statewide television broadcast in South Carolina history occurred on January 19, featuring Governor James Byrnes delivering his State of the State address.

4. On January 19, 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect, prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol. South Carolina was one of the first states to enact its own prohibition laws prior to the national ban.

5. The Santee Canal, located in South Carolina, was completed on January 19, 1800. The canal was a major transportation route for goods from inland areas to Charleston, and played a significant role in the state's economic development.