1. In 1964, three civil rights workers were murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner had been working to register Black voters during the Freedom Summer campaign. The killings were part of a broader pattern of violence and intimidation aimed at preventing African Americans from exercising their right to vote.

2. In 2018, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum opened in Jackson. The museum showcases the struggles and achievements of Black Mississippians in their fight for equal rights and includes exhibits on the Civil Rights Movement, the blues and gospel traditions, and the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

3. On July 12, 1839, the town of Natchez was devastated by a massive fire that destroyed more than 200 homes and buildings. The fire, which is believed to have been started by a slave who was trying to escape, left thousands homeless and caused millions of dollars in damages.

4. Mississippi has been home to several notable authors and literary figures, including William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Richard Wright. On July 12, 1900, Welty was born in Jackson. She went on to become one of the most acclaimed writers of the 20th century, known for her distinctive voice and sense of place.

5. In 1963, Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader from Mississippi, was assassinated in his driveway by a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Evers had been working to promote voting rights for African Americans and had faced numerous threats and attacks prior to his death. His murder helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement and led to the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act.