by staff | February 26, 2021
Racial-justice, COVID-19 and higher-education concerns dominated conversations as William & Mary students lobbied Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and other elected state officials during the 2021 Road to Richmond event on Feb. 10, conducted “virtually” for the first time this year. Underpinning cautious optimism on addressing specific issues, however, was the reality of the toll exacted on the economy by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his opening comments, Northam suggested the commonwealth was “doing well” compared to other states regarding COVID-19, which he attributed to state residents following established guidelines. Still, 1.5 million Virginians filed for unemployment during the pandemic, food insecurity has increased to the point where 20 percent of residents “don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” and the prospect of forced evictions hangs over thousands o
BY ERIC KOLENICH
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun, has sponsored a bill to address the five public colleges in Virginia built and maintained on the backs of enslaved workers.Â
Titled the Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship, the bill calls for Longwood University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Military Institute, and the College of William & Mary to offer scholarships to the descendants of the enslaved.Â
The House on Thursday passed the measure 61-39.
There are five public universities in Virginia built prior to 1865. Their buildings were erected and maintained by enslaved workers. Reid s bill, HB 1980, intends to recognize them, give back to their living families and help those entrenched in poverty.