1. In 1942, the Tuskegee Airmen began their training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American pilots to serve in the United States military during World War II.

2. On January 18, 1830, the Bell Factory in Huntsville was established. The Bell Factory produced large quantities of cotton fabric and contributed significantly to the economy of north Alabama during the antebellum period.

3. In 1975, the Alabama Legislature voted to officially recognize Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday as a state holiday. Alabama was one of the last states to recognize the holiday.

4. On January 18, 1862, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston established his headquarters in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Johnston commanded Confederate forces at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, where he was killed in action.

5. In 1963, Governor George Wallace gave his infamous "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" speech during his inaugural address. The speech was a staunch defense of segregation and set the tone for his tenure as governor.