Below are 5 facts about October 2 in Alabama history:

1. In 1935, the famous Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant began his first coaching job at the University of Alabama. He went on to lead the Crimson Tide to six national championships and become a legendary figure in the state's sports history.

2. In 1959, Alabama Governor John Patterson ordered the state National Guard to prevent the enrollment of two African American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, at the University of Alabama. This event became known as the "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" and was a notable moment in the civil rights movement.

3. In 2003, a court ruling overturned the state's ban on interracial marriage, which had been in place since 1901. The case, Loving v Alabama, was brought by an interracial couple who were denied a marriage license because of their race.

4. In 2013, two tornadoes struck the town of Smith Station, causing significant damage and injuring several people. The tornadoes were part of a larger outbreak that affected several states in the region.

5. In 2018, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced plans to build a new state prison, citing overcrowding and unsafe conditions in existing facilities. The plan has faced criticism from advocates for criminal justice reform, who argue that the focus should be on alternatives to incarceration rather than building new prisons.