1. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. This event had a significant impact on Alabama, as the state had been one of the major contributors of troops to the Confederate cause.

2. On April 9, 1821, the Alabama Territory was created by an act of Congress. The territory included present-day Alabama as well as parts of Mississippi and Florida. It was not until December 14, 1819, that Alabama was officially admitted as the 22nd state of the United States.

3. In 1914, the Alabama State Capitol building was completed after six years of construction. It stands as a symbol of the state's history and government, and is home to the governor's office and the legislative chambers.

4. On April 9, 1942, the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II, carried out their first combat mission. The group was based at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, and played a significant role in breaking down racial barriers in the military.

5. April 9, 1932, marked the birth of civil rights leader and Alabama native, Dr. Hosea Williams. Williams participated in a number of key events in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Selma to Montgomery marches and the Albany Movement. He also served as Martin Luther King Jr.'s chief of staff in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.