1. On July 15, 1970, the Jackson State killings occurred in Jackson, Mississippi. Mississippi Highway Patrolmen and Jackson Police officers opened fire on a group of unarmed black students protesting against racial segregation, killing two and injuring twelve others.

2. In 1933, the Mississippi Coast Hurricane hit the Gulf Coast on July 15, causing widespread damage and flooding. The storm resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people and caused over $20 million in property damage.

3. On July 15, 1830, the first steamboat successfully navigated the Yazoo River in Mississippi, opening up a new era of transportation and commerce for the state's interior.

4. In 1965, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer addressed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party at the National Democratic Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 15. Her powerful testimony about the harsh realities of Mississippi's Jim Crow laws helped galvanize support for the civil rights movement.

5. On July 15, 1908, author William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. Known for his unique style and exploration of the complexities of Southern life, Faulkner's work has had a lasting impact on American literature.