1. Tennessee became the first state to allow women to vote in local elections on March 19, 1869. This was a significant milestone in the women's suffrage movement, which eventually led to the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.

2. On March 19, 1977, Memphis rockabilly legend Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion was opened for public tours. The mansion has since become a popular tourist attraction, drawing millions of visitors from around the world each year.

3. The deadliest tornado outbreak in Tennessee history occurred on March 19, 1925. Known as the "Tri-State Tornado," the twister touched down in Missouri before moving through southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, killing 695 people and injuring thousands more. Tennessee was among the states affected by the storm, which remains one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.

4. Tennessee's largest public university, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, was founded on March 19, 1794. Originally known as Blount College, it was established two years before Tennessee became a state and is now a major research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

5. On March 19, 1963, Nashville mayor Beverly Briley signed an ordinance that desegregated municipal lunch counters and restrooms, making Nashville the first Southern city to take such action. The move came after months of peaceful protests by civil rights activists, including sit-ins and boycotts of downtown businesses. The Nashville sit-in movement served as a model for other civil rights campaigns across the South.