1. In 1865, the West Virginia Legislature authorized the establishment of the West Virginia Colored Institute, now known as West Virginia State University. It was the only institution of higher learning for African Americans in the state at the time.

2. On February 17, 1890, the first issue of The Charleston Daily Mail was published. The newspaper would go on to become one of the most influential publications in the state, winning three Pulitzer Prizes during its publication run.

3. In 1933, the West Virginia Legislature ratified the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ended Prohibition. The state had been one of the few to reject the 18th Amendment, which established the national ban on alcohol.

4. Baseball legend Buck Leonard, a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was born on February 17, 1907. He was a prolific hitter and first baseman for the Negro leagues' Homestead Grays and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

5. On February 17, 1945, the United States Army Air Forces accidentally bombed the town of Weimer, West Virginia, during a training exercise. Five residents were killed, and many more were injured in the incident, which is still remembered as one of the state's worst disasters.