1. On February 5, 1856, the Illinois State University was founded in Normal, Illinois. Originally known as the Illinois State Normal University, the institution was created to prepare teachers for the growing number of public schools in Illinois.

2. In 1867, the Freedom's Journal, the first African American newspaper in Illinois, was published for the first time. The newspaper was founded in New York City in 1827, but eventually opened a bureau in Illinois to report on issues affecting the state's Black population.

3. On February 5, 1919, a deadly fire broke out at the Western Electric Company's Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois. The blaze claimed the lives of 56 workers and was one of the worst industrial disasters in Illinois history.

4. In 1975, the Chicago Blackhawks set a team record by defeating the Kansas City Scouts 12-0 in front of a home crowd at the Chicago Stadium. The Blackhawks' victory was the largest shutout win in team history.

5. On February 5, 2007, Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States at a rally in Springfield, Illinois. The speech launched Obama's historic campaign, which would eventually lead to him becoming the first African American President in U.S. history.