1. In 1934, Mississippi native Eudora Welty began her writing career with a short story published in the literary magazine Manuscript. She would go on to become one of the most acclaimed writers of the 20th century, winning numerous awards for her fiction and essays.

2. On June 27, 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers was assassinated in the driveway of his Jackson, Mississippi home by a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Evers had been working to desegregate the state's schools and universities, and his murder became a rallying cry for the national civil rights movement.

3. Mississippi Governor William Winter signed into law the Education Reform Act of 1982 on June 27 of that year. The legislation aimed to improve education in the state by increasing teacher salaries, creating statewide standardized testing, and implementing new curriculum standards.

4. In 2015, the state of Mississippi officially retired its former state flag, which prominently featured the Confederate battle emblem. The decision came after years of controversy and calls for the removal of the divisive symbol, which many saw as representing racism and oppression.

5. Mississippi blues guitarist and singer Robert Johnson, considered one of the most influential musicians of the early 20th century, is said to have been born on June 27, 1911. Despite only recording a handful of songs in his short life, Johnson's legacy has endured through numerous covers and adaptations of his work by countless artists over the decades.