1. In 1961, the first Mercury-Redstone rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral, making Alan Shepard the first American to enter space.

2. On April 24, 1979, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Doug Williams, a quarterback from Grambling State, with the 17th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Williams would later lead the Buccaneers to their first-ever playoff appearance.

3. In 1986, a massive brush fire consumed over 3,000 acres of land near Palm Bay, Florida. The fire was attributed to a lightning strike.

4. The Florida Holocaust Museum opened its doors in St. Petersburg on April 24, 1998. The museum features exhibits and artifacts focusing on the Holocaust and other genocides.

5. On April 24, 2018, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of a ballot initiative that would restore voting rights to over 1 million people with past felony convictions. The measure, known as Amendment 4, was later passed by Florida voters in November 2018.