1. In 1817, the United States Congress granted statehood to Mississippi, making it the 20th state to join the union.

2. On February 1, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified by Mississippi, effectively ending slavery in the state.

3. In 1956, a group of 90 black students in Clinton, Mississippi staged a boycott of their city's public schools to protest segregation. This event is recognized as a significant precursor to the larger Civil Rights Movement.

4. On February 1, 1971, the Mississippi River reached its highest recorded level at Vicksburg, with a crest of 48.7 feet. The flooding caused significant damage to homes and businesses along the river.

5. In 2000, Mississippi native and author Eudora Welty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Welty is best known for her novels and short stories set in the American South.