1. On September 4, 1781, British General Charles Cornwallis officially surrendered to American General George Washington, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. Although this event did not take place in North Carolina, it had significant impact on the state's history as part of the larger American story.

2. On September 4, 1833, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a prominent suffragist and civil rights activist, was born in Johnstown, New York. Though not a North Carolinian, Stanton's impact on women's rights and equality would resonate throughout the state and the entire country.

3. September 4, 1891 marked the birth of legendary basketball coach and North Carolina native, Everett Case. Case would go on to coach North Carolina State University's basketball team, leading them to six Southern Conference titles and the first ever Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

4. In 1957, on September 4th, North Carolina Governor Luther Hodges unveiled a plan to integrate the state's public schools. While this plan was met with resistance from some, it demonstrated North Carolina's commitment to progress and equality in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement.

5. On September 4, 1984, NASA astronaut and North Carolina native Roy Bridges traveled to space on the Challenger Space Shuttle. Bridges went on to serve as Director of the Johnson Space Center, playing a pivotal role in the Challenger disaster recovery efforts and the development of the International Space Station.