1. In 1921, the first radio station in Alabama, WBRC, went on the air in Birmingham. It was later sold and became a TV station, which is still in operation today.

2. On May 31, 1961, the Freedom Riders were attacked by a mob of angry segregationists in Montgomery. The riders, who were challenging segregation on interstate buses, were beaten and their bus was set on fire.

3. In 1988, a tornado outbreak in Alabama killed 21 people and caused widespread damage. The outbreak was caused by a powerful low-pressure system that moved through the region.

4. The Alabama State Capitol building in Montgomery was dedicated on May 31, 1851. The Greek Revival-style building, which stands today, was designed by Stephen Decatur Button and served as the site of the state legislature until 1985.

5. On May 31, 1965, civil rights activist James Reeb died from injuries sustained during an attack in Selma, Alabama. Reeb, a Unitarian Universalist minister, was beaten by white supremacists while in Selma to support the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery. His death helped galvanize support for the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law later that year.