1. Nebraska became the 37th state in the Union on April 2, 1867. After being established as a territory in 1854, Nebraska gained statehood after a lengthy process to resolve disputes and gain admission to the United States.

2. In 1936, Nebraska native and athlete Jesse Owens broke three world records and tied another in a single hour at a track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Owens, who gained international fame at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, was born in Oakville, Alabama, but moved to Cleveland, Ohio as a child and attended Ohio State University.

3. A major snowstorm struck eastern Nebraska on April 2-3, 1973, dropping up to 18 inches of snow in some areas and causing widespread disruption. Icy conditions and high winds created hazardous travel conditions and power outages.

4. April 2, 1872 was the date of the first ever recorded tornado in Nebraska. The funnel cloud touched down near DeWitt in Saline County, causing minor damage and injuries. Nebraska is among the states with the most tornadoes on average each year, due to its location in the central plains region.

5. On April 2, 1892, the first issue of the Nebraska State Journal was published. Originally known as the Lincoln Weekly State Journal, the newspaper became a daily publication in 1902 and covered local and state news for over a century before transitioning to digital-only format in 2017.