1. Birth of the University of North Carolina: On April 1, 1789, the University of North Carolina was chartered, marking the birth of the first public university in the United States.

2. Confederate victory at the Battle of Five Forks: On April 1, 1865, the Confederate Army won a decisive victory at the Battle of Five Forks, securing their hold on Petersburg and forcing Union General Ulysses S. Grant to initiate a siege.

3. Greensboro sit-ins begin: On April 1, 1960, four African American college students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University began a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, sparking a wave of similar protests and becoming a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

4. NC State basketball wins NCAA Championship: On April 1, 1983, the North Carolina State University men's basketball team won the NCAA Championship with a stunning upset victory over the heavily favored University of Houston.

5. Marriage Equality becomes law: On April 1, 2015, North Carolina became the last state in the South to legalize same-sex marriage after a federal judge struck down the state's ban.