Mississippi
Mississippi is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the southwest, and Arkansas to the northwest. Mississippi's western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River, or its historical course. Mississippi is the 32nd largest by area and 35th-most populous of the 50 U.S. states and has the lowest per-capita income. Jackson is both the state's capital and largest city. Greater Jackson is the state's most populous metropolitan area, with a population of 591,978 in 2020. Other major cities include Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Meridian, and Greenville.
Some of the key events about Mississippi
- 1817Mississippi became the 20th state to join the United States
- 1817The Treaty of Pontotoc Creek forced Chickasaw Native Americans to cede large portions of their land in Mississippi
- 1830The Indian Removal Act led to the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans from Mississippi
- 1861Mississippi seceded from the Union, joining the Confederate States of America
- 1884The first public college for women in America was established in Columbus
- 1890The Mississippi Constitution instituted racial segregation and disenfranchised African American voters
- 1902The first rural free mail delivery in the state began in Carrollton
- 1936The first successful lung removal surgery in the world was performed in Jackson
- 1944The first successful human heart transplant was performed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center
- 1954The first television station in the state, WLBT, began broadcasting in Jackson
- 1955The brutal murder of a 14-year-old African American boy sparked outrage and helped catalyze the Civil Rights Movement
- 1962Riots erupted at the University of Mississippi over the enrollment of its first African American student
- 1963The University of Mississippi Medical Center performed the world's first human lung transplant
- 1964Three Civil Rights workers were murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi, during the "Freedom Summer" campaign
- 1969The first black mayor in the state since Reconstruction was elected in Fayette
- 1969Hurricane Camille devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast, causing widespread destruction and loss of life
- 1982The Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated, becoming the first state memorial of its kind in the nation
- 2005The state's first legal casino opened in Biloxi, marking the beginning of a new economic era for the Gulf Coast
- 2005Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage to coastal Mississippi, destroying homes and infrastructure
- 2010The Deepwater Horizon oil spill severely impacted Mississippi's coastal ecosystems and economy
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.