1. On October 18, 1855, the first train arrived in Jackson, Mississippi, marking the beginning of railroad transportation in the state. This train was part of the lines operated by the New Orleans, Jackson, and Great North Railroad Company.

2. On October 18, 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was posthumously awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal for his contributions to the advancement of civil rights in Mississippi. Evers, who had been an NAACP field secretary, was assassinated earlier that year outside his home in Jackson.

3. October 18, 2005, marked the 40th anniversary of the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, which helped bring about the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mississippi was one of the states where the most significant civil rights struggles took place, and many Mississippians were involved in the Selma march.

4. On October 18, 1927, the Mississippi River Flood of 1927 reached its peak, submerging large areas of land in Mississippi and other states along the river. This massive natural disaster caused widespread devastation, with over 200,000 people displaced and hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland destroyed.

5. On October 18, 2013, the Mississippi Blues Trail unveiled its 176th marker, honoring the town of Bentonia and the Bentonia blues style. This marker was part of an effort to recognize the town's contribution to blues music and to promote tourism in the area. Bentonia was home to several notable blues musicians, including Skip James and Jack Owens.