*On this date in 2007, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously to express "profound regret" for the state's role in slavery.
Meeting in Richmond, Va., on the grounds of the former Confederate Capitol, The resolution passed the House 96-0 and cleared the 40-member Senate on a unanimous voice vote. It does not require the Governor's approval. Sponsors of the resolution say they know of no other state that has apologized for slavery, although Missouri lawmakers are considering such a measure. Supporters said the resolution does not carry the weight of law but sends an important symbolic message.
Delegate A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat who sponsored it in the House of Delegates, said, "this session will be remembered for a lot of things, but 20 years hence I suspect one of those things will be the fact that we came together and passed this resolution."
