1. In 1963, Governor George Wallace ordered the Alabama National Guard to prevent two African American students from enrolling at the University of Alabama, in defiance of a federal court order. The standoff resulted in President John F. Kennedy federalizing the guard and forcing Wallace to allow the students to register.

2. On September 12, 1988, the Alabama State House of Representatives passed a bill designating the Monarch butterfly as the state insect. The bill cited the role of the Monarch in pollinating plants, as well as its "beauty and grace."

3. In 2007, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued a permit for the construction of a new coal-fired power plant in the town of Wilsonville. The permit was later revoked after environmental groups filed suit over concerns about the plant's impact on air quality.

4. On September 12, 1930, athletes from six southern states gathered in Birmingham for the first-ever Southern Conference Track and Field Championships. The competition included a variety of events, from the pole vault and the broad jump to the 10-mile run.

5. The Talladega Superspeedway, one of the most popular NASCAR tracks in the country, held its first race on September 12, 1969. The track has since hosted dozens of high-profile events, including the Daytona 500 and the Alabama 500.