Photo by Jay Paul
On Jan. 10, the first day of the 2024 session of the General Assembly, and after 405 years of legislative history, Virginia elected its first Black speaker of the House of Delegates: Del. Don Scott, D-Portsmouth.
“I know I stand on the shoulders of giants,” Scott said in a speech opening the 60-day session on Jan. 10. “I think about all of the people who never got their rights heard by people sitting in this chamber. Thank God the commonwealth has turned the page. Thank God.”
The legislative body also swore in 54 new members, who will consider thousands of bills and resolutions over the course of the session within the halls of the newly renovated General Assembly Building. The historic demographic changes also provided a striking image for Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s State of the Commonwealth address, with the white Republican governor flanked by three Black leaders: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, House Speaker Scott and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth.
