1. Nebraska officially became a state on March 1, 1867, but January 1 marks the anniversary of the date the state's constitution went into effect in 1867.

2. On January 1, 1926, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team won the first-ever Rose Bowl game against the University of Southern California. It remains one of the most memorable moments in the history of Nebraska sports.

3. In 1953, the Nebraska State Capitol building was completed and dedicated on January 1. It remains one of the state's most iconic landmarks and a symbol of Nebraska's rich history and culture.

4. January 1, 1942 marked the opening of the largest World War II prisoner of war camp in Nebraska, Camp Atlanta. The camp held over 4,000 German prisoners of war over the course of the war and played a significant role in the state's war effort.

5. On January 1, 2011, Nebraska's first African-American senator, Ernie Chambers, was sworn in to his 11th consecutive term in office. Chambers has been a powerful voice for justice and equality in Nebraska politics for over 40 years.