1. On September 26, 1780, a pivotal battle of the American Revolutionary War took place in North Carolina. The Battle of Charlotte saw a small force of American rebels defeat a larger British detachment, boosting morale and delaying the British campaign in the state.

2. One of North Carolina's most famous sons, jazz legend John Coltrane, was born on September 26, 1926 in Hamlet. Coltrane's innovative music and virtuosic saxophone playing transformed jazz in the 1950s and 60s, earning him a place as one of the genre's greatest artists.

3. On September 26, 1955, the North Carolina State Fair opened for the first time in Raleigh. The fair has since become an annual tradition, drawing millions of visitors to enjoy rides, food, music, and agricultural exhibits.

4. In 1983, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Safe Roads Act, which established a system for mandatory seat belt use and set up a graduated driver's license program for young drivers. The law was designed to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, and has been credited with saving countless lives since its implementation on September 26, 1985.

5. On September 26, 2016, protests erupted in Charlotte following the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a African American man. The protests, which lasted for several days and led to clashes with police and property damage, highlighted ongoing tensions over police violence, racial inequality, and social justice issues in the United States.