1. On January 2, 1928, a massive tornado struck the town of Montebello, Mississippi, killing 16 people and causing widespread destruction. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that affected several states in the southeastern United States.

2. In 1932, Mississippi became the first state in the country to pass a law mandating a minimum wage. The law established a minimum wage of 25 cents per hour, which was higher than the federal minimum wage at the time.

3. On January 2, 1960, civil rights activists staged a "wade-in" protest at a whites-only beach in Biloxi, Mississippi. The protest was part of a larger movement to desegregate public spaces in the state, and resulted in several arrests.

4. On this day in 1974, the first female state senator in Mississippi history was sworn into office. Evelyn Gandy, a Democrat from Hattiesburg, had previously served as lieutenant governor and was a strong advocate for women's rights and education reform.

5. In 2019, Mississippi governor Phil Bryant signed a bill establishing a state lottery. The move was controversial, as Mississippi was one of only six states without a lottery, and some critics argued that the lottery would disproportionately harm low-income residents.