1. On May 4, 1961, the Freedom Riders arrived in Alabama. The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who rode buses into the South to challenge segregation on public transportation. They were met with violence in Alabama, including firebombings and beatings.

2. On May 4, 1970, four students were killed and nine others were wounded in a shooting at Kent State University in Ohio. The incident sparked protests across the country, including in Alabama.

3. On May 4, 2010, an oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the largest marine oil spill in history. The spill had devastating effects on the Gulf Coast, including in Alabama.

4. On May 4, 1865, Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America, was captured in Georgia. He was eventually imprisoned in Fort Monroe, Virginia, for two years.

5. On May 4, 1987, the USS Stark was hit by two missiles fired from an Iraqi aircraft, killing 37 American sailors. Many of the sailors were from Alabama, and the incident led to increased tensions between the United States and Iraq.