1. The West Virginia coal wars began on May 4, 1921, when miners in Mingo County went on strike to demand better wages and working conditions. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war between miners and company owners, with violence erupting on many occasions throughout the next few years.

2. In 1933, famed aviator Wiley Post made history by completing the first solo flight around the world on May 4. Post, who was born in Texas but lived in Oklahoma at the time of his record-breaking adventure, completed the journey in seven days, eighteen hours, and forty-nine minutes.

3. May 4, 1960, saw West Virginia become the first state in the nation to launch a comprehensive program to combat air pollution. The state's efforts to reduce pollution and improve air quality led to the passage of the federal Clean Air Act a few years later.

4. In 1972, the first reunion of the famous "Hatfields and McCoys" families took place in Pikeville, Kentucky, just a few miles from the West Virginia border. The event was organized by journalist Breece D'J Pancake, who had written extensively about the legendary feud.

5. On May 4, 2007, a coal mine explosion in Crandall Canyon, Utah, killed nine miners and injured several others. One of the victims was a West Virginia native, Dale Black, who had worked in the mining industry for over thirty years. The disaster focused attention on safety issues in the mines and led to new regulations aimed at preventing future accidents.