It looks like Governor Bob McDonnell will be addressing the crowd at the Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission’s Signature Conference at Norfolk State University this Friday. I will be there blogging live and will do my best to summarize his remarks. The full story is included below.
Sept. 21--NORFOLK — Just months after he triggered a national racial brouhaha for neglecting to mention slavery in a proclamation on Confederate History Month, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell travels to Norfolk State University on Thursday to talk about slavery and the Civil War.
McDonnell issued the state proclamation quietly in April, but the document quickly sparked a racial firestorm nationwide because the word "slavery" was completely omitted. Even President Barack Obama chastised the Republican governor, who offered an apology a few days after the proclamation made national waves.
McDonnell had this to say at the time.
"The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed," McDonnell said. "The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation."
The proclamation was written at the request of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and McDonnell said at the time that he wanted to use Confederate History Month to promote the looming anniversary of the Civil War.
"The Confederate History Month proclamation issued was solely intended to promote the study of our history, encourage tourism in our state in advance of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War and recognize Virginia's unique role in the story of America," McDonnell said in April.
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