1. On June 5, 1963, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) officially opened its doors to students for the first time. The university was created through the consolidation of two existing campuses and grew rapidly over the following decades to become one of the largest universities in the state.

2. Illinois native Ronald Reagan was born on June 5, 1911. Reagan went on to become the 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, Reagan was a successful actor and governor of California.

3. In 1917, the Eastland disaster occurred in the Chicago River on June 5, resulting in the deaths of 844 people. The disaster occurred when the passenger ship Eastland capsized while being boarded, trapping many passengers below decks.

4. On June 5, 1976, Illinois Congressman Wayne Hays was caught in a scandal involving his mistress, leading to his resignation. The scandal became known as the "Hays Code" and led to increased scrutiny of congressional ethics.

5. The Illinois National Guard was activated on June 5, 1968, following several days of protests and unrest in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The National Guard was deployed to Chicago to help maintain order and quell the protests.