We never entirely know how the future will chronicle the present. Looking back at the turn of the millennium 20 years later, however, we begin to discern how the transition represented an important moment in the course of modern history. Hindsight reveals the implications of certain developments as well as their continued influence in the years to come, from singular events like the Aggie Bonfire collapse and the murder of James Byrd Jr. to ongoing concerns like climate change and terrorism.