1. In 1861, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States, a decision that ultimately led to the Civil War. The state capital of Columbia would later be burned by Union troops in 1865 during the war.

2. On January 20, 1938, famous blues singer and guitarist Lightnin' Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas. Hopkins moved to South Carolina later in life and often played at the Music Box nightclub in Spartanburg.

3. In 1953, George Elmore, a black man from South Carolina, becomes the first African-American to complete a solo transcontinental flight.

4. On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States. His inaugural speech included a famous line that resonated with South Carolinians and others across the nation: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

5. In 1981, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States on January 20. Reagan famously visited South Carolina during his presidency, campaigning for Republican candidates and visiting military bases in the state.