1. On April 3, 1776, Virginia declared independence from Great Britain. This declaration instructed Virginia's delegates to the Continental Congress to propose a resolution for independence, which was adopted on July 2, 1776.

2. On April 3, 1865, the Battle of Namozine Church was fought in Amelia County during the American Civil War. Union forces, led by General Philip Sheridan, clashed with Confederate troops, led by General G. W. C. Lee, son of Robert E. Lee. The battle resulted in a Union victory and helped to cut off the Confederate Army's escape route.

3. On April 3, 1936, a tornado struck the town of Blackstone, Virginia, killing 19 people and causing extensive damage. The tornado was one of several that hit Virginia that day, part of a larger outbreak that affected the Southeastern United States.

4. On April 3, 1959, the Virginia General Assembly approved a resolution to officially recognize the state's coat of arms, which had been designed in 1776. The coat of arms features a female figure representing Virtue holding a spear and a sword, with a ship, tobacco, and wheat in the background.

5. On April 3, 2010, Virginia Tech held its annual Relay for Life event to raise money for cancer research. The event, which involves participants walking or running laps around a track for 24 hours, is one of the largest Relay for Life events in the country and has raised millions of dollars over the years for the American Cancer Society.