1. On October 26, 1861, the Battle of Mississinewa occurred in Marion, Indiana during the American Civil War. Although it did not take place in Mississippi, many Confederate soldiers from the state fought in the battle.

2. On October 26, 1893, the Mississippi State University football team played its first ever game against in-state rival Mississippi A&M College. The game ended in a scoreless tie.

3. In 1911, the Mississippi State Capitol building was dedicated on October 26. The building features a dome made of copper and stands as a symbol of the state's government.

4. On October 26, 1950, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was sterilized without her knowledge or consent during a hospital stay in Mississippi. The incident led to her becoming a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement.

5. In 1962, the University of Mississippi was integrated on October 26, after a violent stand-off between federal troops and segregationist protesters. James Meredith became the first African-American student to attend the university, marking a significant moment in the fight for desegregation in Mississippi and the nation.