1. In 1912, Arizona became the 48th state in the United States of America, after being a territory for over 60 years. To celebrate, a grand parade was held in Phoenix, with over 20,000 people in attendance.

2. In 1989, the Phoenix Suns basketball team retired the jersey of player Walter Davis, who played for the team from 1977-1985. Davis was considered one of the team's greatest players, and his jersey now hangs in the rafters of the Suns' stadium.

3. In 2001, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson became the oldest player in Major League Baseball history to pitch a perfect game. He was 38 years old at the time.

4. In 2015, Arizona State University named Michael Crow as the university's president. Crow became the university's 16th president and has since overseen major expansions, including the creation of a new campus in China.

5. In 2021, Arizona welcomed a new senator to the United States Senate. Former astronaut Mark Kelly was sworn in on January 20, following a special election in November 2020. Kelly's election marked the first time in over 60 years that Arizona has elected two Democrats to the Senate.