1. On July 2, 1839, Mississippi became the first state in the nation to grant women the right to hold property in their own name. This groundbreaking legislation paved the way for women's rights movements across the country.

2. On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, making discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin illegal in the United States. The landmark legislation was a major victory for the civil rights movement and a key moment in Mississippi's long struggle for equality.

3. On July 2, 1863, Confederate forces under the command of General John C. Pemberton surrendered to Union troops in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The fall of Vicksburg was a major turning point in the Civil War, severing the Confederacy's vital supply lines and helping to pave the way for Union victory.

4. On July 2, 1908, legendary bluesman Robert Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Considered one of the most influential musicians of all time, Johnson's impact can still be felt in the blues, rock, and pop music of today.

5. On July 2, 1964, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer delivered a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hamer, a Mississippi native, spoke passionately about the struggles faced by African Americans in Mississippi and across the country, and her words helped to galvanize support for the civil rights movement.