1. On February 9, 1826, the University of Mississippi was founded in Oxford. The institution, commonly referred to as Ole Miss, is one of the oldest public universities in the United States.

2. John C. Stennis, a long-serving United States senator from Mississippi, was born on February 9, 1901. Stennis played a key role in shaping American defense policy, particularly during the Cold War.

3. In 1861, Mississippi seceded from the Union on February 9, becoming the second state to do so after South Carolina.

4. On February 9, 1864, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a raid on Union forces in West Tennessee. The raid, which became known as the Battle of Okolona, resulted in a decisive Confederate victory.

5. Noted architect E. Louis Svendson was born on February 9, 1917 in Jackson, Mississippi. Svendson is known for designing several prominent buildings in the state, including the Municipal Auditorium in Natchez and the Starkville High School Gymnasium.