1. On June 21, 1839, Mississippi officially became the 20th state in the United States.
2. On June 21, 1964, civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Neshoba County, Mississippi. This event, known as the "Mississippi Burning" murders, sparked national outrage and contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
3. On June 21, 1986, the Mississippi Legislature adopted the state's current flag, which includes the Confederate battle emblem. This controversial symbol has since been a subject of debate and protests, with many calling for its removal.
4. On June 21, 1997, the Mississippi River flooded, causing significant damage and displacement throughout the state. Several communities were evacuated and thousands of homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
5. On June 21, 2015, the town of Charleston, Mississippi celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first interracial wedding in the state. In 1965, Rev. Will D. Campbell, a Mississippi civil rights activist, presided over the marriage of a black man and a white woman in the town's courthouse.