1. In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was finalized, which added over 800,000 square miles of territory to the United States, including present-day Louisiana.

2. In 1859, the St. Charles Hotel opened in New Orleans. It was considered the grandest hotel in the South and hosted many famous guests, such as Mark Twain and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

3. In 1895, Louisiana native Huey P. Long was born. He served as the governor of Louisiana from 1928-1932 and then as a U.S. Senator until his assassination in 1935. Long is known for his populist policies and flamboyant personality.

4. In 1973, Louisiana's first female state senator, Virginia Shehee, took office. She was a businesswoman and philanthropist who served in the state legislature for 26 years.

5. In 2018, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his leadership in removing four Confederate monuments from the city. The controversial move sparked both praise and criticism.