1. On May 7, 1932, the city of Birmingham had one of its most destructive tornadoes in history. The tornado killed 26 people and caused over $1 million in damages. This event prompted the city to implement a siren system to warn citizens of approaching storms.

2. The first balloon flight in Alabama took place on May 7, 1862, during the Civil War. Union soldiers used a hot air balloon to spy on Confederate troops in Corinth, Mississippi. This innovative technique gave Union forces an advantage and helped them win the Battle of Corinth.

3. On May 7, 1942, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots in the United States Army Air Corps, graduated from flight training in Tuskegee, Alabama. This group of pilots went on to serve in World War II and played a significant role in integrating the U.S. military.

4. In 1883, a major earthquake hit north Alabama on May 7, causing widespread damage and shaking felt as far away as Pennsylvania. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the town of Cullman, where geological features such as sinkholes and cracks in the ground can still be seen today.

5. On May 7, 1993, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill making the Monarch butterfly the state insect. The Monarch butterfly is known for its beautiful orange and black wings and its annual migration from Canada to Mexico, passing through Alabama along the way.