1. In 1896, the Supreme Court of California ruled that racial segregation in public schools is illegal, setting a precedent for the rest of the United States to follow.

2. In 1933, a major earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 struck Long Beach, California, killing 115 people and causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure.

3. In 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier by flying at a speed of more than 1,000 miles per hour in a jet plane over the Mojave Desert.

4. In 1980, the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state erupted and sent ash plumes over Northern California, creating hazardous air quality conditions and causing airports to cancel flights.

5. In 2018, California became the first state in the United States to require all new homes to have solar panels installed, part of a larger effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change.