1. In 1819, Alabama became the 22nd state to join the United States. July 5 marks the anniversary of this historic event.

2. On July 5, 1892, Booker T. Washington delivered a speech at the dedication of the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers (now known as Tuskegee University) in Tuskegee, Alabama. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of education and hard work for African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South.

3. In 1933, the oil tanker Ramapo collided with the steamer Montana in Mobile Bay, Alabama, causing one of the largest oil spills in history up to that time. The spill covered an estimated 300 square miles of water and shoreline, and had a devastating impact on local wildlife and the local economy.

4. On July 5, 1969, astronaut Fred Haise Jr. of Biloxi, Mississippi, returned to Earth after his mission to the moon aboard Apollo 13. Haise played a key role in helping to avert disaster after an explosion on the spacecraft forced the crew to abandon their plans to land on the moon.

5. On July 5, 2018, the city of Mobile, Alabama celebrated the 75th anniversary of the USS Alabama, a World War II-era battleship that is now a popular tourist attraction. The ship is moored at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile and features exhibits on its history as well as a variety of interactive displays and events.