1. On October 16, 1901, the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Mississippi State University) held its first homecoming game. The Bulldogs faced off against the University of Mississippi, winning 17-0.

2. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was born on October 16, 1925, in Decatur, Mississippi. Evers worked tirelessly to end segregation and improve voting rights in the state, and he was tragically assassinated outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1963.

3. On October 16, 1863, Confederates mounted a surprise attack on Union troops at Brownsville, Mississippi, during the Civil War. The battle was a Confederate victory, but it ultimately had little impact on the outcome of the war.

4. Blues guitarist and singer Robert Johnson recorded several of his most famous songs on October 16, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas. Johnson, who was born in Mississippi, is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

5. On October 16, 1981, the city of Biloxi, Mississippi, was struck by Hurricane Juan. The storm caused significant damage to the city and the surrounding areas, and it resulted in several fatalities.