1. On May 22, 1861, Governor Isham Harris of Tennessee signed a bill that officially seceded Tennessee from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

2. In 1958, Memphis became the first city in Tennessee to install parking meters, requiring drivers to pay for parking in designated spots.

3. May 22, 1999 marked the opening of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, which celebrates the history and culture of country music in America.

4. On May 22, 2010, severe flooding occurred in various parts of Tennessee, leading to 31 deaths and causing extensive damage to properties and infrastructure across the state.

5. In 2018, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill into law designating the Eastern Box Turtle as the official state reptile, recognizing its ecological and cultural importance to the region. May 22nd marked the first Eastern Box Turtle Day in Tennessee to raise awareness about this species.