1. In 1861, the Alabama Secession Convention voted unanimously to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy. This decision played a significant role in the start of the Civil War.

2. In 1910, the Talladega College Board of Trustees voted to open the first two-year high school in Alabama specifically for African American students. This was a significant step towards greater education opportunities for African Americans in the state.

3. In 1965, civil rights advocate Reverend James Reeb was beaten to death in Selma, Alabama during the height of the Selma to Montgomery march. His death galvanized national support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which was passed later that year.

4. In 2011, Birmingham, Alabama was hit by a massive tornado outbreak that caused significant damage and loss of life. The storms were part of the larger tornado outbreak that affected several southern states and was one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in US history.

5. In 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. This announcement had significant impacts on Alabama, including statewide shutdowns and restrictions to slow the spread of the virus. The pandemic has also significantly affected daily life and the economy in Alabama and throughout the world.