Today In History
5 Fun Facts About April 10 In Mississippi History
1. On April 10, 1945, Mississippi native and civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was sterilized without her consent at a hospital in Ruleville. The procedure was part of a program that forcibly sterilized thousands of poor and Black women in Mississippi. 2. On April 10, 1962, the University of...
5 Fun Facts About April 9 In Mississippi History
1. On April 9, 1864, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led his troops in a surprise attack on Union forces stationed in Fort Pillow, Tennessee. The resulting massacre became one of the most controversial and brutal events of the Civil War. 2. On April 9, 1947, Mississippi native and baseball...
5 Fun Facts About April 8 In Mississippi History
1. On April 8, 1929, Mississippi-born actor Will Geer made his Broadway debut in the play "R.U.R." Geer was later known for his role as Grandpa Zebulon Walton in the television show "The Waltons." 2. On April 8, 1953, B.B. King recorded his first hit single "You Know I Love...
5 Fun Facts About April 7 In Mississippi History
1. In 1932, a group of unemployed World War I veterans known as the Bonus Army arrived in Jackson to lobby the state government for financial assistance. They were eventually able to secure some funds, but tensions between the veterans and the police erupted into violence, resulting in several injuries...
5 Fun Facts About April 6 In Mississippi History
1. On April 6, 1862, the Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee, which had significant implications for Mississippi as it was fought in close proximity to the state. The Confederate Army, which included many Mississippians, suffered a disastrous defeat, marking a turning point in the Civil War. 2. On April...
5 Fun Facts About April 5 In Mississippi History
1. On April 5, 1862, the Civil War Battle of Yorktown began in Virginia, which had significant consequences for Mississippi. The Union victory in Yorktown led to the capture of New Orleans just 12 days later, cutting off a major Confederate supply line from the Mississippi River. 2. In 1933,...
5 Fun Facts About April 4 In Mississippi History
1. On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. King's assassination sent shockwaves throughout the country and led to widespread civil unrest in Mississippi and across the United States. 2. April 4, 1865 marked the end of the Civil War in Mississippi,...
5 Fun Facts About April 3 In Mississippi History
1. On April 3, 1865, Union forces under General James Wilson captured the city of Selma, Alabama, just across the border from Mississippi. This victory helped to solidify the Union's hold on the region, which would eventually lead to the end of the Civil War. 2. On April 3, 1944,...
5 Fun Facts About April 2 In Mississippi History
1. Mississippi became the 20th state on April 2, 1817. The state was admitted to the Union after officially separating from its neighboring territory, Alabama. 2. Civil War General and first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, surrendered to Union Army forces on April 2, 1865,...
5 Fun Facts About April 1 In Mississippi History
1. Mississippi Agrarian Reformers Take to the Streets On April 1, 1894, the Mississippi Farmers’ Alliance held a massive parade in Jackson to demand various economic reforms. Thousands of people from across the state marched through the city, advocating for measures like free silver and federal regulation of railroads. The...
5 Fun Facts About March 31 In Mississippi History
1. On March 31, 1915, the town of Natchez experienced a devastating fire that destroyed many historic buildings. The fire is believed to have started in a mattress factory and quickly spread due to high winds. 2. In 1966, civil rights activist James Meredith began his March Against Fear in...
5 Fun Facts About March 30 In Mississippi History
1. Mississippi became the 20th state in the United States on March 30, 1817, after being admitted to the Union. The state was named after the Mississippi River and Mississippi is the Magnolia State and Jim Crow law state. 2. In 1869, the Mississippi Constitutional Convention was held, where Mississippi's...