1. On December 20, 1861, the Confederate States of America formally recognized Kentucky as the 13th state to join the Confederacy. This decision was made despite Kentucky's neutrality in the Civil War.
2. Kentucky Governor William Goebel was shot on December 20, 1900, just days after winning a contested gubernatorial election. He died on January 3, 1900, becoming the only American governor to be assassinated while in office.
3. On December 20, 1923, the Kentucky state flag was adopted. The flag features the state seal on a navy blue background.
4. Kentucky native and country music legend, Keith Whitley, was born on December 20, 1954. Whitley had multiple chart-topping hits before his untimely death in 1989 at the age of 34.
5. The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team set a record on December 20, 1969, by scoring 173 points against Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. This record still stands as the most points ever scored by the Wildcats in a single game.