Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education
  • Home
  • About
    • Latest News
    • Statement on Systemic Racism
    • Leadership
    • Our Partners
    • Parking and Directions
  • Education
    • People Powered 2023 Program
    • Educational Resources
    • Teacher Institute
    • Internship Program
  • Research
    • Congressional Collections >
      • Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers
      • Harley O. Staggers, Sr. Congressional Papers
      • Harley O. Staggers, Jr. Congressional Papers
      • Scot Falkner CAO Papers
    • Blog
    • Digital Collections
    • Oral History Project
    • Plan a Visit to the Archives
    • Collecting Policy
  • Events
    • Voices of the Community series
    • Summer Fundraiser 2023
    • Forum on Pollution
    • Formidable - author event
    • Voices of the Community
    • Constitution Day
    • Past Events
  • Support Us
    • Friends of the Byrd Center
    • Name a Seat
    • Annual Report
  • Reservations
  • Login

Greetings to the New Chairman

6/30/2015

 
In the summer of 1965, the latest news from the Capitol was the appointment of Congressman Oren Harris (D-AR) to become District Judge of Eastern and Western Arkansas. For the next several months, the press focused on who would replace Congressman Harris as Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Foreign and Interstate Commerce, and the answer was not immediately clear. The two ranking members of the committee, Congressmen John Bell Williams (D-MS) and Kenneth Roberts (D-AL) had been removed from consideration owing to the former being stripped of his seniority for supporting Barry Goldwater’s 1964 Presidential Campaign, and the latter having lost reelection. By mid-summer of 1965, the succession issue was solved and Congressman Harris’ successor was announced.
 
Picture
Newly-appointed Chairman Harley O. Staggers, Sr. (left) presents out-going Chairman Oren Harris (right) with a platter from the committee members.

Read More

Collection Spotlight: The Office Files Series

6/23/2015

 
The Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection is comprised of several sections or “series” of records. The Office Files Series, one of the smaller series within the collection, contains 76 linear feet of records from the four offices Senator Byrd operated during his time in Congress. Ranging in date from 1956 through 2010, the Office Files Series provides a comprehensive record of the administration of Senator Byrd’s offices for all but the first 3 years of his Congressional career. This collection offers several different types of documents which help to further illuminate the life and work of Senator Byrd and to gain a better understanding of how Congress operates outside of the chamber and away from the C-SPAN cameras.
Picture
Part of Senator Byrd’s D.C. Office located in the Hart Senate Office Building

Read More

7,000 Miles by Satellite: Congressman Staggers, Sr. & Telstar

6/16/2015

 
By Jody Brumage

On July 14, 1962, an editorial column in the Dominion News proclaimed the occurrence of “An occasion history may well rank with the Wright Brothers first flight; Marconi’s message, and the first telegraphic epic of our time.” As the world witnessed this momentous event, one West Virginian congressman played a unique role in the occasion.


Picture
The first photograph transmitted via satellite, showing Vice President Johnson with Congressman Staggers, Sr. in the background.

Read More

Congress Goes to the Ballgame

6/9/2015

 
By Jody Brumage
Each summer, Washington D.C. comes together to participate in the tradition of the Congressional Baseball Game. Started over a century ago, it is perhaps the only time where partisanship is expected to rule the day.

The event was started in 1909 by Congressman John Tener (R-PA), who had been an outfielder and pitcher for the Chicago Cubs (then the Chicago White Stockings) in 1888-1889 and who played several years in minor league teams. Members of each party form their respective teams, dawn uniforms celebrating their home states, and meet at the ball field to see which side can best the other in America’s pastime. Though the game has been interrupted over its history by the Great Depression, World War II, and the occasional Speaker of the House who found the game to be distracting, the annual meeting of the parties on the baseball diamond continues to this day.

A blog post from the U.S. House of Representatives Historian’s Office offers a more detailed history of the tradition, which you can read by clicking here.
​
This year’s game will be played on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at National’s Park.

Read More

Supporting West Virginia’s Fish Hatcheries

6/2/2015

 
By Jody Brumage

Several projects supported by Senator Byrd spanned the length of his career and included multiple appropriations to upgrade infrastructure or adapt to changing technologies. One of these projects that received continued support was West Virginia’s fish hatcheries and aquaculture centers.
​
Beginning in the early twentieth century, the state established centers to study fish populations and breed trout and other species for stocking rivers and ponds. The first of these centers was the White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery, founded in 1902 in Greenbrier County. A second hatchery, located at Leetown in Jefferson County, was established in 1930. The Bowden Hatchery, located near Elkins in Randolph County, was started in the early 1960s. All three of these hatcheries, in addition to centers at West Virginia University and other hatcheries established by the state received several appropriations from Congress through Senator Byrd’s efforts.

Read More
    Welcome to the Byrd Center Blog! We share content here including research from our archival collections, articles from our director, and information on upcoming events. 

    Categories

    All
    Director's Posts
    Intern Blogs
    Posts From The Archives

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    November 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    December 2011

    RSS Feed

Picture
213 North King Street
PO Box 5000
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
(304) 876 - 5702

Our Mission:

The Byrd Center advances representative democracy by promoting a better understanding of the United States Congress and the Constitution through programs and research that engage citizens.
© 2021 Robert C. Byrd Center for
​Congressional History and Education
  • Home
  • About
    • Latest News
    • Statement on Systemic Racism
    • Leadership
    • Our Partners
    • Parking and Directions
  • Education
    • People Powered 2023 Program
    • Educational Resources
    • Teacher Institute
    • Internship Program
  • Research
    • Congressional Collections >
      • Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers
      • Harley O. Staggers, Sr. Congressional Papers
      • Harley O. Staggers, Jr. Congressional Papers
      • Scot Falkner CAO Papers
    • Blog
    • Digital Collections
    • Oral History Project
    • Plan a Visit to the Archives
    • Collecting Policy
  • Events
    • Voices of the Community series
    • Summer Fundraiser 2023
    • Forum on Pollution
    • Formidable - author event
    • Voices of the Community
    • Constitution Day
    • Past Events
  • Support Us
    • Friends of the Byrd Center
    • Name a Seat
    • Annual Report
  • Reservations
  • Login