1. On October 13, 1775, the Spanish Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Gálvez, declared Spain's support for the American Revolution against Great Britain. This support led to Gálvez's successful military campaigns against the British in Florida, Mobile Bay, and Baton Rouge.

2. In 1803, on October 13, the United States took possession of the Louisiana Territory from France in a ceremony held in New Orleans. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country and opened up vast new territories for settlement and exploration.

3. On October 13, 1912, Louisiana's first state highway, now known as Highway 1, was officially designated. This highway runs parallel to the Mississippi River and stretches from the Texas border in the southwest corner of the state to the Arkansas border in the northeast corner.

4. Musician and songwriter Bobby Charles, best known for his hit song "See You Later, Alligator," was born on October 13, 1938, in Abbeville, Louisiana. He is considered an important figure in the development of swamp pop music, a genre that combines Cajun, zydeco, and rhythm and blues styles.

5. On October 13, 1989, Loyola University New Orleans hosted a debate between former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and black political activist and journalist Carlotta Walls LaNier. The debate, titled "The Great Debate: Race and Politics in America," was moderated by NBC anchor Tom Brokaw and received national attention.