1. On October 23, 1865, the Mississippi state government was officially recognized by the United States government after the end of the Civil War. This event marked the beginning of Mississippi's Reconstruction period.

2. On October 23, 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis was at its peak, and President John F. Kennedy addressed the nation from a television studio at the University of Mississippi. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett had previously attempted to prevent James Meredith, an African American student, from enrolling at the university, resulting in rioting and federal intervention. Kennedy spoke about the need for Americans to come together and avoid nuclear war.

3. On October 23, 1964, Mississippi civil rights activist and leader Vernon Dahmer Sr. was firebombed in his home by members of the Ku Klux Klan. He died the following day from injuries sustained in the attack. Dahmer had been working to encourage African Americans to register to vote, and his death galvanized the civil rights movement in Mississippi.

4. In 1993, on October 23, a Mississippi-based rock band called 3 Doors Down formed in Escatawpa. The band achieved commercial success with hits like "Kryptonite" and "When I'm Gone."

5. October 23, 2001 saw the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, part of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, in Jackson. The museum documents the history of the state's Civil Rights Movement and features exhibitions on topics such as the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the murder of Emmett Till. The museum is part of a larger complex, which also includes the Museum of Mississippi History, telling the story of the state from prehistoric times to the present day.