1. The 1861 Wheeling Convention in West Virginia marked the beginning of the state's secession from Virginia and eventual admittance into the Union during the Civil War. The convention began on January 10th and lasted for four days, with delegates voting to create a new state government and declare independence from Virginia.

2. In 1909, the first commercial coal mine disaster in West Virginia occurred on January 10th in the town of Monongah. Over 350 miners were killed in the explosion, making it one of the deadliest mining disasters in U.S. history.

3. On January 10, 1920, West Virginia became the 34th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. West Virginia's early support for the amendment helped it pass nationally later in the year.

4. In 1978, the famed "Buffalo Creek Disaster" occurred in West Virginia on January 10th when a coal waste dam burst, causing a flood that killed 125 people and left over 4,000 homeless in the surrounding area.

5. On January 10, 2008, West Virginia formally apologized for its role in slavery and passed a resolution recognizing the state's history of racism and discrimination against African Americans. The resolution was signed by Governor Joe Manchin and acknowledged the state's need to "reconcile its past and move forward with unity and reconciliation."