Friday, February 21, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1920, voting rights advocate Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon published the article “From the Virginia Battle Front.” She reported that the Commonwealth’s suffragists would continue their efforts even though the House of Delegates had refused to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. The amendment was added to the Constitution […]

Thursday, February 20, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1960, more than 200 Virginia Union University students and faculty members went to Woolworth’s in downtown Richmond, sat at seats labeled “whites only” at the segregated lunch counter, and asked for service. The management closed the restaurant instead. Their peaceful protest was a precursor to […]

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1882, Gov. William E. Cameron was celebrating a short-lived victory in what came to be known as the “Oyster Wars.” Cameron and his followers had set out the night before to nab non-Virginians dredging in the Chesapeake Bay. They seized seven oyster boats, but only […]

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1862, the Senate of the Confederate States met for the first time in its renovated chamber in the state capitol building near the state Senate chamber. The Confederate House began meeting that same day in the state capitol building, but renovations to its chamber were […]

Monday, February 17, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1801, the House of Representatives broke a tie in the Electoral College, selecting Thomas Jefferson as president over Aaron Burr, who became vice president. Ten state delegations voted for Jefferson, four for Burr, and two abstained. Four years later, the 12th Amendment changed the process […]

Friday, February 14, 2025 Happy Valentine’s Day! “Virginia is for Lovers,” this day and every day. Our state’s slogan was launched more than 55 years ago by the Virginia State Travel Service after a Richmond advertising agency drafted it. It’s been so successful that it remains in use and was inducted into the Madison Avenue […]

Thursday, February 13, 2025 Good morning! On this day, the Virginia Convention of 1861 convened to discuss whether the Commonwealth should secede from the United States. Most of its 152 delegates were Unionists on the day the convention started. However, by April (after secessionists attacked Fort Sumter), the convention voted to leave the Union. State […]

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1831, a solar eclipse was visible in many parts of the Commonwealth. Watching it in Southampton County, Nat Turner took it as a sign that he should lead a slave revolt. After months of preparation, he did so in August of that year. Universities in […]

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1731, George Washington was born. That is, he was born on Feb. 11 according to the Julian calendar, the standard at the time. When Britain and its colonies switched to the Gregorian calendar decades later, Washington’s birthday was set as Feb. 22, 1732. As the […]

Monday, February 10, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1684, Francis Howard, the recently appointed royal governor, anchored in the York River for his initial meeting with the colony’s leaders. During his five-year term, Howard worked to diminish their General Assembly and strengthen the office of governor-general, the crown’s representative in Virginia. The Virginia Flyover […]