Template:On this day/March 16

Copy the 3-5 most noteworthy events from the corresponding date page. Please change to past tense and bold the key article. You may also include a relevant photo, sized between 100-140px wide and aligned right.

March 16:

• 1751 – James Madison is born near Port Conway. The fourth president and principal author of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, he later lived at Montpelier in nearby Orange County.

• 1863 – African American members of Charlottesville’s Baptist Church petition to form an independent congregation, a key step in establishing First Baptist Church (West Main Street).

• 2005 – Freedom of Information Day is established on Madison’s birthday, honoring his legacy as a leading advocate for government transparency.

• 2020 – The first confirmed case of COVID-19 is reported in the Charlottesville area.

• 2020 – Lee Enterprises completes its purchase of The Daily Progress and other Virginia newspapers.