1. On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Pennsylvania. Although not directly related to Virginia history, the speech had significant impact on the Civil War and the nation as a whole.

2. Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder made history on November 19, 1989, by becoming the first African American to win statewide office in the United States since Reconstruction. He served as governor until 1994.

3. The Battle of Cedar Creek, one of the final battles of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, took place on November 19, 1864. The Union army, led by General Philip Sheridan, defeated Confederate General Jubal Early's army, effectively ending Confederate resistance in the Valley.

4. The Virginia General Assembly met for the first time in its newly constructed Capitol building in Richmond on November 19, 1788. The building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, remains one of the most iconic landmarks in the state.

5. On November 19, 2005, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) football team defeated archrival The Citadel 26-14 to clinch the Southern Conference championship. It was VMI's first conference title since 1977 and a significant achievement for the historically successful athletics program.