1. Louisiana was admitted as the 18th state of the United States on January 31, 1812. Previously, Louisiana was a French colony before being transferred to Spanish rule, then back to French control, before finally being sold to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

2. On January 31, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime, was passed by the United States House of Representatives. Louisiana was one of the states where slavery was widespread prior to the Civil War, and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment was a significant moment in the state's history.

3. The Battle of Baton Rouge, one of several battles fought during the American Civil War, took place on January 31, 1863. Union forces, aided by gunboats, defeated Confederate troops in a fierce battle that took place in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

4. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the St. Louis World's Fair, officially opened on January 31, 1904. The fair was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, and Louisiana was one of the many states to participate in the fair with exhibits showcasing the state's culture, resources, and industries.

5. Louisiana's first African American governor, P.B.S. Pinchback, was born on January 31, 1837. Pinchback served as the interim governor of Louisiana in 1872 and was the first person of African American descent to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Despite serving for only 35 days, Pinchback's tenure as governor was a significant moment in Louisiana's history and a testament to the progress of civil rights in the state.