1. In 1865, the first Illinois State Fair was held in Springfield. The fair is still held annually, showcasing agriculture, entertainment and cultural activities for the people of Illinois.
2. In 1913, the Illinois State House passed the Graham-Tewksbury Child Labor Law, which prohibited children under the age of 14 from working in factories and mines. This was a significant step towards protecting child labor rights.
3. In 1947, the Chicago Cubs baseball team played their first night game at Wrigley Field. This historic event marked a turning point in the history of baseball- allowing games to be played in the evening and opening up new opportunities for fans to watch the sport.
4. In 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers was assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi. Despite not being from Illinois, Evers' death had a significant impact on the civil rights movement in the state and across the country.
5. In 2008, Oprah Winfrey announced the end of her long-running talk show, the Oprah Winfrey Show. The show had been on the air for 25 years and had a significant impact on popular culture and society, with many of its episodes dealing with social and political issues.