1. On November 15, 1887, the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) was founded. Initially focused on agricultural and mechanical arts, it has since grown into a comprehensive research university with a wide variety of academic programs.

2. The Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II, were first activated on November 15, 1941. Among their many accomplishments, they were the first African American aviators to fly combat missions for the United States military.

3. On November 15, 1956, Autherine Lucy became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Alabama. However, her enrollment was met with violent protests and she was eventually expelled, but her efforts paved the way for future desegregation of Alabama's universities.

4. In 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers spoke at a rally in Tuscaloosa on November 15. Evers was the Mississippi field secretary of the NAACP and was assassinated the following year.

5. November 15, 2002, saw the debut of the A-12 Avenger II aircraft at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The A-12 Avenger II was a stealth aircraft designed for the United States Navy, but the program was ultimately canceled in 1991 due to budget concerns.