1. In 1861, Alabama became the fourth state to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy. This decision ultimately led to the state's involvement in the American Civil War.

2. On January 11, 1918, legendary baseball player Hank Williams Sr. was born in Mount Olive, Alabama. Williams went on to become one of the most influential and beloved country music artists of all time.

3. The town of Selma, Alabama played a significant role in the civil rights movement, and January 11 marks the anniversary of the culmination of the Selma to Montgomery marches. On this day in 1965, civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis led a peaceful demonstration for voting rights, which eventually led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

4. Alabama's first-ever female governor, Lurleen Wallace, was inaugurated on January 11, 1967. Wallace succeeded her husband George Wallace, who had been barred from seeking a third term as governor due to term limits.

5. In 2013, Alabama made history by becoming the first state to officially recognize the civil rights achievements of legendary musician Nina Simone. On January 11 of that year, a resolution was passed by the state legislature honoring Simone's contributions to the music industry and her tireless efforts in the fight for racial equality.