1. In 1861, Minnesota became the 32nd state in the United States. This milestone in Minnesota's history was marked by a lavish celebration in Saint Paul, the state capital.

2. In 1940, the Armistice Day Blizzard struck Minnesota, causing widespread devastation and claiming 49 lives. The storm, which featured hurricane-force winds and heavy snowfall, caught many by surprise and made headlines across the nation.

3. In 1954, the Minneapolis Lakers won the NBA championship, becoming the first dynasty in the league's history. Led by future Hall of Famers George Mikan and Jim Pollard, the Lakers went on to win four more championships in the following five years.

4. In 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers visited Minnesota to give a speech at the University of Minnesota. Just a few weeks later, Evers was assassinated in his driveway in Jackson, Mississippi, becoming a powerful symbol of the struggle for racial equality.

5. In 1991, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to adopt a "hate crimes" law, which enhanced penalties for crimes committed against people on the basis of their race, religion, or sexual orientation. The law was seen as a major victory for civil rights advocates and set a precedent for other states to follow.