1. On September 16, 1963, four African American girls were killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The bombing was a turning point in the civil rights movement and galvanized support for the cause.

2. On September 16, 1810, the area that is now known as Alabama became a part of the Mississippi Territory. It was not until 1817 that Alabama became a separate territory, and then in 1819 it became the 22nd state to join the Union.

3. The Battle of Allatoona, which took place on September 16, 1864, was a significant battle in the American Civil War. Union soldiers defended the Allatoona Pass against Confederate forces, and their victory helped to stop General Sherman's Atlanta campaign.

4. On September 16, 1965, the University of Alabama admitted its first African American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood. This event was a major turning point in the struggle for civil rights and paved the way for desegregation in higher education.

5. Alabama's state flower, the camellia, was officially adopted on September 16, 1959. The camellia is a popular ornamental plant in the southern United States, and the state has several public gardens dedicated to showcasing the flower's beauty.