1. In 1905, Birmingham's Vulcan statue was completed and unveiled on August 22. Standing at 56 feet tall, Vulcan is the largest cast iron statue in the world and represents the city's history in the iron and steel industry.

2. On August 22, 1956, Autherine Lucy became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Alabama. However, due to riots and threats, she was suspended after only three days and was unable to return until 1980.

3. In 1972, the first African American mayor of Tuskegee, Johnny Ford, was elected on August 22. Ford served as mayor for 24 years before being elected to the Alabama House of Representatives.

4. The Iron Bowl, the rivalry football game between the University of Alabama and Auburn University, was played on August 22, 2002. This was an unusual occurrence as the game is typically played in November, but was rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts.

5. On August 22, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage in Alabama, especially along the Gulf Coast. The city of Mobile experienced flooding and power outages, while other communities suffered from heavy wind damage.