1. On January 17, 1940, basketball legend Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York. Though Jordan wasn't born in North Carolina, he is often associated with the state due to his success playing for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later, the Charlotte Hornets.

2. January 17, 1909 saw the birth of North Carolina native and civil rights activist John Hope Franklin. Franklin was a professor of history at Duke University and is best known for his landmark book "From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans," which is the most widely read historical account of African American life in the United States.

3. The town of Mooresville, North Carolina was incorporated on January 17, 1873. Today, Mooresville is home to NASCAR teams and drivers, earning it the nickname "Race City USA."

4. On January 17, 1996, Hurricane Fran made landfall in North Carolina, causing widespread damage and power outages throughout the state. Fran was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in North Carolina history, with 13 deaths attributed to the storm.

5. In 1961, the United States Air Force opened Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named after a North Carolina native and Medal of Honor recipient who served during World War II, and today is home to the 4th Fighter Wing, which flies F-15E Strike Eagles.