The first “General Assembly,” composed of 22 representatives from 11 Virginia “boroughs,” was the first representative legislative assembly in the New World. The General Assembly met in Jamestown for six days, from July 30 to Aug. 4, 1619. The group developed and passed laws that evolved Virginia’s colonial settlement beyond just being a commercial enterprise. The actions of Gov. Yeardley and the General Assembly marked Jamestown as the site of the first representative democratic institution in America. 

While Thanksgiving dishes have stayed the same at the core, it’s natural that they’ve picked up some changes and influences throughout the years. Think deep-fried or brined turkeys that became popular in the mid-1990s, truffled mashed potatoes and savory bread puddings during the transition to the 21st century, and the use of kale in almost all vegetable dishes in the more recent years.

Black Friday and shopping Saturday was bleaker for some shoppers as demonstrators marched, shouted and sometimes confronted store employees and owners over the Nov. 28 weekend. Most of the time shops started to lock doors, pull down shutters and activate gates as soon as the chanting started. Young people, primarily Black but with some White and older participants, strode through malls and stores with their hands up and sometimes holding signs. “Black lives matter!” they shouted.