1. First public university in Texas opens
On September 3, 1883, the University of Texas at Austin, the first public university in the state, opened its doors to students. Originally created under the Texas Constitution of 1876, the university has grown to become one of the largest and most respected public institutions in the country, with over 50,000 students and over 3,000 faculty members.

2. Hurricane hits Galveston
On September 3, 1900, a powerful hurricane slammed into the city of Galveston, causing widespread destruction and killing over 8,000 people. This event, known as the Galveston Hurricane, remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in US history, and led to the construction of the Galveston seawall and other flood control measures.

3. First African-American elected to Houston city council
On September 3, 1979, Ernest McGowen was elected to the Houston city council, becoming the first African-American to hold a citywide elected office in Houston. McGowen served on the council until 1995, and was a champion for civil rights and social justice issues throughout his career.

4. NASA launches spacecraft to study sun
On September 3, 2018, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe, a spacecraft designed to study the sun up close and help us better understand the physics of the solar wind and coronal heating. The mission is named in honor of Eugene Parker, the astrophysicist who first predicted the existence of the solar wind in the 1950s.

5. Historical marker placed at site of first Juneteenth celebration
On September 3, 2019, a historical marker was placed at the site of the first Juneteenth celebration in Texas, held in Galveston on June 19, 1865. The marker was part of a statewide effort to commemorate the holiday, which marks the day that Union troops arrived in Texas and announced that all slaves were free, two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.