Today in History: October 19, ‘Black Monday’ on Wall Street

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Today is Sunday, Oct. 19, the 292nd day of 2025. There are 73 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 19, 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points, or 22.6% in value (its largest daily percentage loss ever), to close at 1,738.74 on what came to be known as “Black Monday.”

Also on this date:

In 1781, British troops under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, as the American Revolution neared its end.

In 1914, the First Battle of Ypres began in World War I.

In 1960, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a sit-down protest at a segregated lunch counter in Atlanta, one of the early events of the non-violent protest movement that King was instrumental in leading during the nascent civil rights era.

In 1977, the supersonic airliner Concorde made its first landing in New York City, flying from France, in three hours and 44 minutes. The flight marked the start of regular commercial Concorde service between Paris and New York.

In 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa during a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square. Mother Teresa, who founded the Missionaries of Charity global order that attends to society's outcasts, was elevated to sainthood in 2016 by Pope Francis. She died in 1997.

In 2005, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was put on trial by the Iraqi Interim Government, accused of crimes against humanity. Captured by U.S. forces in 2003, Hussein was convicted, sentenced to death and executed by hanging in December 2006.

In 2016, in the third and final 2016 presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump refused to say he would accept the results of the election if he were to lose.

Today’s Birthdays: Artist Peter Max is 88. Actor John Lithgow (LIHTH’-goh) is 80. Fox News host Steve Doocy is 69. Singer Jennifer Holliday is 65. Boxing Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield is 63. Filmmaker Jon Favreau is 59. Former first daughter Amy Carter is 58. “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker is 56. Comedian Chris Kattan is 55. Filmmaker Jason Reitman is 48. Actor Gillian Jacobs is 43. Actor Rebecca Ferguson is 42.