Breaking News: 16 Secret Things About Mississippi History You Didn’t Know

Mississippi, often dubbed the Magnolia State, has a rich and complex history that is filled with surprising, lesser-known facts. From early Native American culture to pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement, the state’s story has shaped both the South and the nation. Here are 16 secret, fascinating pieces of Mississippi’s past that may have flown under the radar.

### 1. **Home of the First Planned City in the U.S.**
Natchez, Mississippi, founded in 1716, was the first city in the United States to be planned with streets laid out in a grid. Its layout, still visible today, served as a model for future city planning in the U.S.

### 2. **Birthplace of the Blues**
Mississippi is often considered the birthplace of the blues. Legendary musicians like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King got their start here, and the Mississippi Delta is still a pilgrimage site for blues lovers worldwide.

### 3. **The Mississippi River Tunnel**
The Mississippi River has always been an essential part of the state’s identity, but did you know there’s an underground tunnel that runs beneath it? The tunnel, which connects the cities of Vicksburg and Delta, is a little-known marvel of engineering.

### 4. **Mississippi’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement**
While many associate the Civil Rights Movement with Alabama or Georgia, Mississippi was ground zero for some of its most pivotal moments, including the murder of Medgar Evers in 1963 and the 1964 Freedom Summer, which sought to register black voters.

### 5. **First Female Mayor in the U.S.**
In 1873, Sarah A. Dickey was elected mayor of the small town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, making her one of the first women in the U.S. to hold the office.

### 6. **The Great Emu War**
In 1932, Mississippi experienced a bizarre and short-lived “Emu War.” In an attempt to combat the invasive emu population, the state’s agricultural department tried—and failed—to curb the birds’ numbers. The emus won, and their population flourished.

### 7. **The Birth of American Pornography**
The first known legal pornography in the U.S. was produced in Mississippi in the early 19th century. “The Orgy of the Gods,” a risque work, was created in the 1830s in Jackson, though it was initially considered scandalous and was later buried in history.

### 8. **The Mysterious Disappearance of the Locus Creek Man**
In 1855, a man from the town of Locus Creek disappeared mysteriously while crossing the Mississippi River. No body was ever found, and the incident remains unsolved, becoming a local legend.

### 9. **Mississippi’s Native American Mounds**
Before European settlers, the region was home to powerful Native American cultures like the Mississippian civilization. The state is dotted with ancient burial mounds, including the largest mound in the U.S. at Poverty Point in the Delta region.

### 10. **The First State to Secede from the Union**
Mississippi was the first state to secede from the Union in 1861, following the election of Abraham Lincoln. The state’s secession marked the beginning of the Confederacy’s formation.

### 11. **The Town that Almost Became the State Capital**
Jackson, Mississippi, might never have been the state capital had it not been for a devastating fire in 1829 that destroyed the previous capital, Washington. Jackson was chosen as the new capital due to its more central location.

### 12. **Mississippi’s Mysterious UFO Hotspot**
In the 1970s, Mississippi gained attention as a hotspot for UFO sightings. The town of Pascagoula, in particular, saw numerous reports of alien encounters, sparking national interest.

### 13. **The Largest Collection of Confederate Monuments**
Mississippi is home to one of the largest collections of Confederate monuments in the U.S., many of which have been the subject of debates over their place in modern America.

### 14. **The Ghosts of Natchez**
The town of Natchez is known for its haunted history. Legends abound of spirits from its storied past, including those of former plantation owners, Civil War soldiers, and even slaves.

### 15. **Mississippi’s Role in the Birth of Baseball**
Baseball has deep roots in Mississippi. It was here that the first professional baseball team in the world was formed in the 1860s—long before the rise of Major League Baseball.

### 16. **The World’s Largest Shrimp Farm**
While not something people associate with Mississippi, the state is home to the world’s largest shrimp farm, located along the Gulf Coast, which produces millions of pounds of shrimp every year.

Mississippi’s history is rich with intrigue, mystery, and cultural contributions. From its pivotal role in American music to its importance in the Civil Rights Movement, the Magnolia State is much more than its southern charm suggests.