1. In 1784, the Georgia state legislature passed a law that established the University of Georgia, making it the first public university in the United States.

2. On August 27, 1864, the Battle of Jonesboro took place during the American Civil War. The battle was part of General William T. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign and resulted in a Union victory that helped lead to the fall of Atlanta.

3. In 1910, the first flight to deliver mail in Georgia took place on August 27. Pilot J.W. Elms made the flight from Princeton to Atlanta, covering a distance of 135 miles.

4. On August 27, 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech at the Old Courthouse in Atlanta to kick off a voter registration campaign. The speech, called "Give Us the Ballot," called for an end to discriminatory voting practices.

5. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought heavy rain and wind to Georgia on August 27, causing significant damage and widespread power outages. The storm was one of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history.