1. The Battle of Baton Rouge took place on July 23, 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. Spanish forces, along with local American militia, attacked and captured the British-held fort in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

2. Louisiana's first African American congressman, Louis Charles Harvey, was born on July 23, 1861. Harvey, a former slave, served in the U.S. House of Representatives in the late 1800s.

3. On July 23, 1913, the Great Flood of 1913 peaked in Louisiana, causing widespread damage and flooding in many parts of the state.

4. The first "Zydeco Breakfast" in Louisiana was held on July 23, 1989, in Opelousas. The event featured traditional zydeco music and Cajun food and drink, and has since become an annual tradition.

5. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed a controversial education reform bill into law on July 23, 2012. The law expanded the use of vouchers for private and religious schools, and tied teacher evaluations to student test scores.