1. On January 21, 1870, the first African American to serve in the Texas Legislature, Matthew Gaines, was sworn in. Gaines was born into slavery in Alabama and later became a Methodist minister and educator before being elected to the Texas Senate.

2. In 1908, the first flight ever made in Texas took place on January 21. It was piloted by Samuel Cody, who had previously flown in England and was performing at a carnival in Fort Worth.

3. The University of Texas at Austin was officially inaugurated on January 21, 1883, with a ceremony featuring speeches and a parade. The university had already been open for classes since September 1883, but the inauguration marked the first official recognition of the school.

4. On January 21, 1909, the first ever intercollegiate basketball game took place in Texas between Baylor University and Texas Christian University. The game, played in Waco, ended in a 33-31 victory for Baylor.

5. On January 21, 1968, the Dallas Cowboys played in their first ever Super Bowl. Although they ultimately lost to the Baltimore Colts, the game marked the start of a string of Super Bowl appearances for the Cowboys throughout the 1970s.