1. On December 16, 1817, Mississippi was officially admitted as the 20th state in the United States of America, becoming the first state to be admitted to the Union from the Mississippi Territory.

2. On December 16, 1864, during the Civil War, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a surprise attack on Union troops in the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee. Many of the Confederate soldiers were from Mississippi.

3. On December 16, 1939, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation was founded to promote the interests of farmers in Mississippi, including advocating for agricultural policies and providing support services to farmers.

4. On December 16, 1952, the first nuclear reactor in Mississippi went online at the Mississippi State University campus. The reactor was used for research in nuclear physics and engineering until it was decommissioned in 2005.

5. On December 16, 2017, the state of Mississippi celebrated its bicentennial, marking 200 years since becoming a state. Festivities included a year-long celebration with events and exhibits throughout the state, as well as the unveiling of a new Mississippi history museum in Jackson.