1. On January 24, 1811, the largest slave revolt in United States history began in Louisiana. Known as the German Coast Uprising, it was led by enslaved Africans and Creoles who marched towards New Orleans, but were ultimately defeated by armed forces.

2. The Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, which houses one of the largest natural history collections in the Gulf Coast region, was established on January 24, 1936.

3. On January 24, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing all seven crew members, including Louisiana native Ronald McNair. McNair, who was born in Lake City and raised in Baton Rouge, was the second African American to fly in space.

4. The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, which effectively doubled the size of the United States, was ratified by the Senate on January 24, 1804. The treaty, which was signed with France, transferred control of the Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15 million.

5. The first Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans was held on January 24, 1838, organized by a group of students who were inspired by the Carnival celebrations they had witnessed in Paris. The parade featured horse-drawn carriages and costumed revelers, setting the stage for the iconic Mardi Gras tradition that continues to this day.