1. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked the federal garrison at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, marking the beginning of the American Civil War. Mississippi played a significant role in the conflict, providing troops and resources to the Confederate cause.

2. April 12, 1963, marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, for leading peaceful protests against segregation. Mississippi was also a battleground for civil rights, with numerous demonstrations and acts of resistance taking place in the state.

3. In 1940, blues legend Robert Johnson recorded his landmark song "Cross Road Blues" in San Antonio, Texas. Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, and his music had a profound influence on the history of popular music.

4. Famous Mississippi novelist Eudora Welty was born on April 13, 1909. Welty is best known for her Southern Gothic style and her ability to capture the essence of small-town life in Mississippi. She received numerous awards for her work, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

5. On April 12, 2011, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour granted clemency to the Scott sisters, Jamie and Gladys Scott, who had been serving life sentences for a robbery they claimed they did not commit. The case had drawn national attention, with many activists advocating for the sisters' release.