1. Alabama is the birthplace of George Washington Carver, who was born on February 22, 1864. Carver was a renowned scientist and inventor, known for his work with crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes.
2. On February 22, 1965, civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot by an Alabama state trooper during a peaceful voting rights demonstration in Selma. Jackson's death inspired the historic Selma to Montgomery marches that played a crucial role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
3. Also on February 22, 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at a rally in Montgomery, urging supporters to continue the fight for voting rights and speaking out against the violence that had taken place in Selma.
4. On February 22, 1861, the Alabama State Convention voted to secede from the United States, joining other southern states in the Confederacy. This decision would eventually lead to the American Civil War.
5. In sports history, on February 22, 1984, the Auburn men's basketball team defeated the University of Alabama in four overtimes in what has been called one of the greatest games in college basketball history. Auburn guard Chuck Person scored 33 points in the game, and Alabama's Ennis Whatley added 19 points and 16 assists.