1. In 1862, Union troops under the command of General William T. Sherman and Admiral David Porter captured the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, a major Confederate stronghold, during the American Civil War. The siege of Vicksburg lasted for 47 days and resulted in the surrender of more than 30,000 Confederate soldiers.

2. In 1927, the Mississippi River flooded and caused widespread destruction and loss of life in the state and other parts of the country. The flood, which lasted for several months, was one of the worst natural disasters in American history, and led to major changes in the way the federal government manages disasters.

3. In 1956, James H. Meredith, a black student from Kosciusko, Mississippi, applied to the University of Mississippi, but was initially denied admission because of his race. After several legal battles, Meredith was finally admitted to the University in 1962, sparking protests and violence on campus and across the state.

4. In 1995, renowned author Eudora Welty died in her home in Jackson, Mississippi. Welty, who was born in Jackson in 1909, is best known for her short stories and novels about life in the American South, and won numerous literary awards during her career.

5. In 2016, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a controversial law that allows businesses and individuals to refuse service to LGBTQ people based on their religious beliefs. The law, known as HB 1523, has faced widespread criticism and legal challenges, and has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over LGBTQ rights in the United States.