Va. house proposes slavery apology
Del. Hargrove says blacks should just ‘get over it’
By Kim Chi Ha, staff writer
Posted on January 22, 2007

Del. Frank Hargrove Sr., R-55th District, inflamed fellow Virginia House members last week when he said that blacks should just “get over” slavery.

Hargrove, a 25-year House veteran, said making the state of Virginia apologize for slavery would be as ridiculous as making the Jews apologize for “killing Christ.”

“I was and continue to be very disappointed in those remarks, which I feel were insensitive and misplaced,” Del. A. Donald McEachin, D-74th District, said.  “I hope he will come around and support the resolution as he reflects.”

His remarks were made against a resolution sponsored by McEachin that would make Virginia issue an official apology to African-Americans for the institution of slavery.

McEachin said, “The resolution doesn’t ask any individual to apologize. It asks the state of Virginia to apologize because it’s the commonwealth that benefited from slavery. It’s the commonwealth that had Jim Crow laws and institutionalized state-sponsored racism.”

Members of the NAACP, including executive director of the Virginia NAACP J. Rayfield Vines Jr., visited Hargrove on Thursday. Hargrove issued a personal apology to Vines, but he still refused to support the resolution or make any apologies for his comments earlier in the week.

“He is not planning to apologize for being in opposition to a resolution; none of his constituents own any slaves and never have had any slaves,” said Buddy Fowler, Hargrove’s Legislative Aid.

“Our Hanover constituents sent us out here to deal with transportation, education and other 2,700 issues of the day, and you know we didn’t have anybody from our county ask us about pre-Civil War issues.”

Hargrove said the institution of slavery ended more than 100 years ago, so dwelling on an old issue would only be harmful to society.

Arthur Dean, director of the Center for Multicultural Student Services, said there are still African-Americans who feel the direct impact of institutionalized racism.

“For him to make a statement like that, I don’t think he understands the impact,” Dean said. “It’s not about guilt, but rather it’s about making sure the institution of racism is not happening in the 21st century.”

Hargrove’s comments upset and disappointed many House members including David Englin, D-45th District, a friend of Hargrove’s.

“Jews were abused and driven from their homes by people who believed that we killed Christ,” he said in a recorded speech. “I have great affection for Del. Hargrove, but I want you all to understand, what it means when people of the respect and stature of a member of this body perpetuates the notion that Jews killed Christ.

“It’s an inflammatory statement that causes a lot of harm to a lot of people.”

Said Fowler: “This obviously is not what he wanted to happen, the thing unfortunately went beyond his opposition to the resolution and turned into something else, which is unfortunate because people that know him know he’s not that kind of person.”