The House of Delegates unanimously approved a resolution Friday expressing "profound regret" for Virginia's role in the slave trade, a significant act of contrition by a body that used to start the day with a salute that symbolized the state's Confederate heritage. The resolution, one of several that lawmakers are considering as part of the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of Jamestown, is one of the biggest steps any state has taken in offering remorse for the enslavement of millions of Africans and Caribbean islanders during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The statement also condemns the "egregious wrongs" that European settlers inflicted on Native Americans. Del. A. Donald McEachin (D-Richmond), whose great-grandfather was born a slave, sponsored the resolution. But GOP leaders wrangled over the language for weeks, fearful that an outright apology could lay the groundwork for a debate over reparations. Although he would have preferred an apology, McEachin said the final version "doesn't sugarcoat the matter either."

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