1. On September 23, 1803, Mississippi officially became a U.S. territory following the Louisiana Purchase.

2. The Battle of Iuka, which took place on September 19-20, 1862, spilled over into September 23 and saw Confederate forces under General Sterling Price clash with Union forces under General William Rosecrans.

3. On September 23, 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago, was brutally tortured and murdered while visiting family in Money, Mississippi. His death became a catalyst for the civil rights movement.

4. September 23, 1962, marked the opening of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Today, the center is a leading provider of healthcare services and medical education in the state.

5. On September 23, 2018, Mississippi State University quarterback Nick Fitzgerald set a school record for career rushing yards by a quarterback, surpassing the previous mark set by Dak Prescott. Fitzgerald finished his career with 3,607 rushing yards.