1. Kansas became the 34th state in the United States on May 6, 1861. This was just weeks before the Civil War broke out, and Kansas played an important role in the conflict as a free state that actively opposed slavery.

2. On May 6, 1884, the first locomotive built in Kansas was completed. Known as the "Wichita," this steam engine was constructed at the Wichita Machine and Foundry Company and was used primarily for hauling coal.

3. In 1937, the Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka was officially dedicated on May 6. This stunning building features a unique blend of Art Deco and Classical Revival architecture and is home to the state's legislative and executive branches of government.

4. On May 6, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The case was brought by a group of African American parents in Topeka, Kansas, and it had a profound impact on civil rights in the United States.

5. Kansas native and aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, but May 6, 1937 is also a significant date in her history. On this day, Earhart set out on her ill-fated attempt to circumnavigate the globe with her navigator, Fred Noonan. The pair disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean and their fate remains a mystery to this day.