1. In 1858, the University of Mississippi opened its doors to students for the first time. The school is now known as Ole Miss and is one of the state's largest universities.

2. In 1953, Elvis Presley made his first ever professional appearance at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was just 18 years old at the time and performed two songs, "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky".

3. On January 21, 1961, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission was established by the state legislature. This group was formed to protect the state's sovereignty and segregationist policies during the Civil Rights era.

4. In 1972, two African-American students were admitted to the University of Mississippi School of Law, marking the first time that the school had accepted black students since it was founded in 1854.

5. On January 21, 2019, two organizers with the Poor People's Campaign were arrested in Jackson, Mississippi for protesting a state law that limits the number of signatures required to get an initiative on the ballot. The Poor People's Campaign is a national movement that aims to address poverty and social inequality.