1. In 1836, the Battle of San Jacinto was fought on May 20, resulting in Texas gaining its independence from Mexico.

2. On May 20, 1927, American aviator Charles Lindbergh completed the first nonstop solo flight from New York to Paris. His flight path took him over Texas, where he spotted a large oil field which would later be named the East Texas Oil Field, the largest oil reserve in the United States.

3. In 1949, former Texas governor and United States President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as a United States Senator on May 20, after winning a special election to fill the seat vacated by the death of Senator W. Lee O'Daniel.

4. On May 20, 1989, the first National Don't Mess with Texas campaign was launched in response to the growing issue of littering in the state. The campaign was a success and is still in use today.

5. In 2013, a massive tornado hit the town of Moore, Oklahoma on May 20, causing widespread destruction and taking 24 lives. Texas was one of the states to send aid to Oklahoma in the aftermath of the disaster.