1. In 1817, Tuskegee, Alabama was founded. The town was originally located in Macon County and was named after the Muskogee-speaking peoples who once inhabited the area.

2. On October 26, 1936, the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama opened for the first time. The track is now one of the most famous NASCAR tracks in the world.

3. In 1971, the Alabama Environmental Management Act was signed into law by Governor George Wallace. The law established the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and set regulations for environmental protection in the state.

4. On this day in 1976, the United States Navy commissioned the USS Alabama (SSBN-731), a ballistic missile submarine named after the state. The submarine is still serving in the Navy today.

5. The Birmingham Police Department was established on October 26, 1871. The department has a long and storied history, including its involvement in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.