Virginia Commemorating 400th Anniversary of Arrival of African Slaves-- Part 1

From the August 23, 2019, Dubuque (Iowa) Telegraph Herald by Bill Finley A.P.

Officials will mark the pivotal moment in American history when enslaved Africans arrived by holding a 'Healing Day.'

Norfolk, Va.  --  Four hundred years after American slavery and democratic self-rule came to what became the state of Virginia, ceremonies will mark the arrival of enslaved Africans and seek healing from the legacy of bondage that still haunts the nation.

Yet, the weekend ceremonies will take place against the backdrop of white supremacism across the country, racist tweets by President Trump and a lingering scandal surrounding Virginia;s governor and a blackface photo.

The commemoration will include Sunday's "Healing Day" on the Chesapeake Bay where two ships traded men and women from what is today Angola for food and supplies from English colonists in August 1619.

A bell will ring for four minutes, while churches across the country are expected to join in.

A Very Unfortunate Event in History.