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 […]

Friday, February 7, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1862, Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson filed seven charges of insubordination and dereliction of duty against his subordinate, Gen. William Loring, following a retreat from Romney to Winchester. Officials in Richmond dismissed the charges and instead transferred Loring to another command. The Virginia Flyover has both […]

Thursday, February 6, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1993, tennis star and human rights advocate Arthur Ashe died at age 49. He had contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion during surgery. Ashe, from Richmond, was the first black man to win the U.S. Open (1968) and Wimbledon (1975). A statue in his honor […]

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Good morning! On this day in 1865, Union Brig. Gen. David Gregg led his mounted cavalry division to the Boydton Plank Road near Dinwiddie Court House in an attempt to cut off Confederate supply lines. It was the first action in what would become the inconclusive three-day battle of Hatcher’s Run. […]