9 Quirky Facts About Mississippi That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate
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Jackie Ann
Author
Ready to brush up on your Magnolia State trivia? We’ve got some unique facts about Mississippi that may not seem true, but they are! From the origin of the teddy bear to the state beverage, here are some fun facts about Mississippi that you can take with you to your next trivia night.
1. Two of the deadliest tornados in the United States were in Mississippi.
Mississippi may not be known for tornadoes, but it takes both the #2 and #4 slots. The second deadliest tornado in United States history was in Natchez on May 6, 1840, and left 317 people dead. The fourth was in Tupelo on April 5, 1936, and killed 216. On average, Mississippi sees about 27 tornadoes a year.
2. The first human lung transplant was performed in Jackson in 1963.
Dr. James Hardy performed the procedure at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Sadly, the patient died 18 days later.
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3. Mississippi opened the first public college for women in the United States.
Established in 1884, it was originally called the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls. It changed its name to the Mississippi University for Women in 1920. In 1968, the first three black undergraduates enrolled as well as three black teachers became the first graduate students at the school, and are known as the Fabulous Six.
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4. More than 50% of America’s farm-raised catfish comes from Mississippi.
Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas make up the other 50%. Belzoni, Mississippi is known as the "Catfish Capital of the World," so if you find yourself in this little town, be sure to get some catfish!
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5. The first coca-cola was bottled right here in the Magnolia State.
This popular beverage may have been invented in Atlanta, but it was bottled up in Vicksburg in 1894.
6. Jackson, Mississippi is one of only four cities in the entire world officially sanctioned to host the International Ballet Competition.
The other three cities are Helsinki, Finland, Moscow, Russia, and Varna, Bulgaria.
7. Milk is the state beverage.
Weird, right? Well, 21 other states all share milk as the state beverage, so maybe it’s not so weird after all!
8. The story behind how the teddy bear came into existence has roots in Mississippi.
According to the legend, Teddy Roosevelt was on a hunting expedition in Mississippi and someone had captured a bear and tied it to a tree. They offered it to Roosevelt to shoot, who vehemently refused. It became a bit of a joke in newspapers across the country, and one candy shop in Brooklyn decided to create a stuffed toy bear out of the whole ordeal and named it "Teddy’s Bear."
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9. Mississippi still has language in its constitution that says you must be religious to run for office.
Only those who "believe in the existence of a Supreme Being" are allowed to run for office, according to Mississippi’s constitution, but another Supreme Being (the Supreme Court) ruled that unconstitutional in 1961, so it cannot be enforced.
How many of these fun facts about Mississippi did you already know? If you’re feeling proud to live in Mississippi, check out this unique collection of apparel from Wear Your Roots.
For more Magnolia State trivia, check out this list of unique Mississippi town names:
Most People Don’t Know The Meaning Behind These 15 Mississippi Towns
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