1. In 1775, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was allegedly signed in Charlotte, making North Carolina the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain.

2. The Battle of Fort Macon began on May 10, 1862, during the Civil War. Union forces took control of the Confederate fort after a thirteen-hour bombardment.

3. The first gasoline-powered automobile was driven in Raleigh on May 10, 1900, by inventor Francis H. Fries.

4. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport officially opened on May 10, 1943, with the landing of the first commercial flight from Washington D.C.

5. On May 10, 1984, the North Carolina Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in Raleigh. The museum's collection includes over 40,000 works of art, ranging from ancient to contemporary.