1. Mississippi became a state on December 10, 1817, but it wasn't until January 1, 1818, that it officially entered the United States as the 20th state.

2. January 1, 1863, was a significant day in Mississippi history, as it marked the day the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This executive order signed by President Abraham Lincoln declared that all slaves in the Confederate states, including Mississippi, were to be freed.

3. On January 1, 1908, the first paved road in Mississippi was completed between the towns of Wesson and Brookhaven. The road, which is now known as Old Highway 51, was only 8 miles long but served as a model for future road construction in the state.

4. In 1933, on January 1st, Mississippi Governor Martin Sennett Conner was inaugurated. He served as the governor of Mississippi from 1932-1936 and is notable for having signed the first-ever gas tax bill in the state in 1934.

5. On January 1, 2015, Mississippi enacted a new statewide smoking ban. The Smokefree Air Act prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces in the state, including bars and restaurants. The law was a significant step in improving public health in Mississippi, which has one of the highest rates of smoking-related illnesses in the country.