1. On December 28, 1817, Mississippi officially became the 20th state to join the Union.

2. On December 28, 1862, the Civil War Battle of Chickasaw Bayou took place in Warren County, Mississippi. The Union Army was defeated by Confederate forces, which led to a change in military strategy for Union General Ulysses S. Grant.

3. In 1906, a violent tornado struck Hattiesburg, Mississippi on December 28, causing significant damage to the town and resulting in over 100 fatalities.

4. On December 28, 1956, the famous blues musician and guitarist Johnny Winter was born in Leland, Mississippi. Winter went on to have a successful career, known for his impressive guitar skills and unique sound.

5. In 1989, Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus declared December 28 as "John Lee Hooker Day" in honor of the legendary blues musician's contributions to Mississippi's cultural heritage. Hooker, who was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1917, went on to have a long and influential career in the blues genre.