1. On January 2, 1962, James Meredith was officially admitted to the University of Mississippi, marking a significant milestone in the civil rights movement. Meredith became the first African American student to attend the university, despite facing intense racial hostility and violent protests.

2. In 1861, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in the lead-up to the American Civil War. The state's secession ordinance was signed on December 20, 1860, but it wasn't until January 2 of the following year that Governor Francis W. Pickens issued a formal proclamation announcing South Carolina's departure from the United States.

3. On January 2, 1781, a crucial battle took place in the Revolutionary War, known as the Battle of Cowpens. Led by General Daniel Morgan, a force of 1,000 Patriot soldiers routed a larger British force commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, dealing a significant blow to the British army in the southern colonies.

4. The first recorded snowfall in the city of Charleston, South Carolina occurred on January 2, 1754. According to historical records, the snowfall lasted for several hours, covering rooftops and streets with a light dusting of snow, which quickly melted away in the warmer temperatures.

5. On January 2, 1944, a military training aircraft crashed into a residential area of Greenwood, South Carolina, killing 16 people, including 13 civilians on the ground. The investigation into the cause of the crash revealed that the pilot had become disoriented in bad weather, ultimately losing control of the plane and crashing into a residential neighborhood. The tragedy remains one of the deadliest aviation accidents in South Carolina history.