1. On June 4, 1610 English settlers established the first permanent English settlement at what is now Jamestown, Virginia. The settlers arrived on three ships: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. This settlement ultimately became the capital of the Virginia Colony and played a significant role in the establishment of the United States.
2. On June 4, 1776, the Virginia Convention declared Virginia's independence from Great Britain, making it the first of the 13 colonies to take such action. The document, known as the Virginia Declaration of Rights, was authored by George Mason and became a model for both the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
3. On June 4, 1861, the Confederate army, led by General Robert E. Lee, won a major victory over Union forces in the Battle of Cold Harbor, which took place just outside of Richmond, Virginia. The battle was one of the bloodiest of the Civil War, with casualties estimated at around 7,000 for the Union and 1,500 for the Confederacy.
4. On June 4, 1924, Congress approved the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States. Virginia was home to several Native American tribes, including the Cherokee and the Monacan, who had long suffered discrimination and mistreatment under federal law.
5. On June 4, 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers was assassinated outside of his home in Jackson, Mississippi. Evers had family connections in Virginia and had worked with the NAACP to fight for equal rights for Black Americans. His death sparked outrage across the country and helped galvanize the civil rights movement.