1. In 1823, the Illinois government established the first state penitentiary in Alton, Illinois. At the time, it was a progressive move towards prison reform, focusing on rehabilitation rather than just punishment.

2. In 1837, Abraham Lincoln delivered a famous speech against slavery in Springfield, Illinois. Known as the "Young Men's Lyceum Speech," it showcased Lincoln's early dedication to anti-slavery principles.

3. In 1896, the Toluca Coal Mining Disaster occurred in Toluca, Illinois. It remains one of the worst mining disasters in American history, with 63 miners losing their lives in a gas explosion.

4. In 1926, the first African-American to serve in the Illinois State Senate, Richard T. Greener, passed away. Greener was a prominent scholar and had previously served as the Dean of the Howard University School of Law.

5. In 2003, a deadly tornado outbreak swept through southern Illinois, killing six people and causing extensive damage across multiple counties. It was one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in Illinois history.