1. On May 2, 1863, the Battle of Port Gibson was fought in Mississippi during the American Civil War. Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Confederate troops, opening the way for the Siege of Vicksburg.

2. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was born on May 2, 1926, in Decatur, Mississippi. Evers worked as the Mississippi field secretary for the NAACP and was assassinated in 1963 outside his home in Jackson.

3. The first electric power plant in Mississippi began operating on May 2, 1882, in Columbus. The plant powered 85 streetlights and a few businesses.

4. The National Agricultural Aviation Museum opened in Jackson on May 2, 1988, showcasing the history of crop dusting and aerial application. The museum features vintage aircraft and equipment, as well as educational exhibits.

5. On May 2, 2011, tornadoes struck several areas in Mississippi, causing significant damage and multiple fatalities. One tornado that hit Smithville was rated EF5, the strongest rating on the tornado intensity scale.