1. In 1817, Mississippi became the 20th U.S. state, which was significant for the growth and development of the region, as it became a part of the Union and had access to more resources and political representation.

2. In 1962, the first African American student, James Meredith, enrolled at the University of Mississippi. This event sparked a major civil rights movement, which saw violent protests and clashes between pro- and anti-integration groups.

3. In 1934, the infamous outlaw and bank robber, John Dillinger, was arrested in Tucson, Arizona, by FBI agents, including Melvin Purvis, who was born in Lamar, Mississippi in 1903. Purvis was also involved in the capture of other notorious criminals, such as Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.

4. In 1925, Mississippi Congressman John E. Rankin introduced a bill to Congress that sought to ban "the teaching of evolution as a fact" in public schools. This bill set off a heated debate and was a precursor to the Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee the following year.

5. In 1987, a category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Gilbert, made landfall along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, causing widespread damage and devastation. The hurricane was one of the strongest and most destructive in recorded history, with winds of up to 185 mph and a storm surge that reached over 20 feet in some areas.