1. The Neshoba County Fair, one of the country's largest and oldest county fairs, began on July 9, 1889, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The fair has been held annually ever since, featuring rodeos, livestock shows, political speeches, and other events.

2. On July 9, 1903, the state legislature passed a law creating the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College, which later became Mississippi State University. The school's mission was to provide agricultural and mechanical education to Mississippians and has since grown into a comprehensive research university.

3. Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was born on July 9, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Hamer was a key figure in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and helped organize the 1964 Freedom Summer project.

4. On July 9, 1962, the US Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in the case of Meredith v. Fair, ordering the University of Mississippi to admit its first African American student, James Meredith. The decision came after weeks of violent protests and clashes on the Oxford campus.

5. Blues legend Robert Johnson recorded some of his most famous songs in San Antonio, Texas, on July 9, 1936. Johnson's influence on later musicians, especially guitarists, was immense, and his work has been covered by countless artists across genres. Johnson was born in Mississippi and spent most of his short life there.