1. On July 17, 1821, Mississippi became the 20th state to be admitted into the Union. The state was originally part of the Mississippi Territory, which was created in 1798 and encompassed what is now Mississippi and Alabama.

2. On July 17, 1863, the Battle of Jackson took place, during the American Civil War. Union forces, led by General William T. Sherman, captured the city of Jackson, which was a key Confederate stronghold in Mississippi. The battle was part of the Vicksburg campaign and helped to pave the way for the Union's eventual victory.

3. On July 17, 1944, the Liberty ship SS William B. Travis was launched at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship was named after William B. Travis, a commander during the Texas Revolution, and was one of thousands of Liberty ships built during World War II to transport troops and supplies.

4. On July 17, 1955, the Mississippi Legislature passed the Student Integration Act, which called for the integration of public schools in the state. The act was enacted in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

5. On July 17, 1978, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians became the first Native American tribe to be recognized by the state of Mississippi. The recognition allowed the tribe to establish its own government and to operate its own businesses, including a casino. Today, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is one of the largest employers in the state, with over 10,000 employees.