Wallace Shot; Alabama's First Newspaper: May In Alabama History

BIRMINGHAM, AL - With 2019 being Alabama's bicentennial, a look back at what happened in the state's history reveals several significant dates in the month of May. The month includes famous birthdays, landmark events and an assassination attempt of one of Alabama's most famous politicians.

Continuing our series of historic Alabama dates, Patch has found some of the most significant anniversaries in May in Alabama history:

May 1, 1961: Harper Lee of Monroeville wins the Pulitzer Prize for To Kill a Mockingbird. The story, set in 1930s Alabama, became an international bestseller and was made into a major Hollywood motion picture starring Gregory Peck.

May 2, 1772: Warren Truss was born in Pitt County, North Carolina. Truss purchased land near the Cahaba River in 1821, which would later be known as Trussville. Incorporated in 1947, the town officially became a city on May 31, 1957, and adopted the name, Trussville. Today, Trussville is one of the fastest growing communities in the Birmingham area.

May 3, 1963: African American demonstrators are assaulted in downtown Birmingham by fire hoses and police dogs. The incident brought international attention to Project C, the name given to civil rights demonstrations in the city led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Fred Shuttlesworth.

May 5, 1910: An explosion at Palos Coal Mine No. 3 in Jefferson County kills 84 miners. At the time, it was the second-worst mine disaster in Alabama history, and it followed on the heels of a mine explosion at nearby Mulga that killed 40 miners. The Palos tragedy also marked the first time that the Red Cross led a disaster relief effort in Alabama.

May 8, 1820: The Alabama Supreme Court convenes for the first time. The court, meeting in the capital of Cahaba, was composed of Alabama’s circuit court judges. Clement C. Clay, who later served in Congress and as governor, was appointed Chief Justice.

May 11, 1811: The first newspaper in Alabama, The Mobile Centinel, is published at Fort Stoddert.

May 13, 1914: Boxer Joe Louis is born near LaFayette. Louis held the world heavyweight boxing title from 1937 to 1948 and made a division record 25 successful title defenses. Louis died in 1981.

May 15, 1972: Gov. George Wallace is shot in Maryland while campaigning for the Democratic nomination for president. The assassination attempt by Arthur Bremer left the Governor paralyzed from the waist down and effectively ended his chances at the nomination.

May 19, 1963: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is issued to the public in a press release. The letter was addressed to eight local clergymen who had recently urged civil rights leaders to use the courts and local negotiations instead of mass demonstrations to promote their cause in Birmingham. King’s letter, which soon became an iconic text of the civil rights movement, rejected the clergymen’s plea.

May 25, 1910: The first-ever nighttime airplane flight is made at Orville Wright’s flying school near Montgomery. Walter Brookins and Archibald Hoxsey piloted the plane. The flying school closed shortly after the historic event, but the site eventually became home to Maxwell Air Force Base.

May 28, 1951: Alabama native Willie Mays gets his first hit in the Major Leagues–a home run against the Boston Braves. Mays went on to be named National League Rookie of the Year and hit 660 homers in his Hall of Fame career.