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
    • Forum on Pollution
    • Formidable - author event
    • Summer Fundraiser 2023
    • Voices of the Community
    • Constitution Day
    • Past Events
  • Support Us
    • Friends of the Byrd Center
    • Name a Seat
    • Annual Report
  • Reservations
  • Login

Celebrating Congress Week at the Byrd Center

3/28/2017

 
April 1-7 is Congress Week, an annual observation of the history and importance of the Legislative Branch of our government. The Byrd Center joins with dozens of other repositories and research organizations across the United States in celebrating Congress Week. We hope that you will join us at the center for our special Congress Week programs! 
Picture
Congress Week marks the anniversary of the first U.S. Congress. On April 1, 1789, following the ratification of the new constitution, a sufficient number of the elected members of the new House of Representatives convened in New York City. The Senate subsequently achieved its first quorum on April 6, 1789, marking the beginning of the first federal congress. 

This year, Congress Week is focusing on the powers of Congress, highlighting the constitutional role of the Legislative Branch and its relationship to the other two branches of our federal government. In an essay exploring this theme, Byrd Center Director Ray Smock explains:
"the actual powers of Congress are considerable and well established ... [including] the power to collect taxes, to borrow money on the credit of the United States, to regulate commerce with foreign nations and within the United States, to coin money, to declare war, to raise and support armies and a navy, and 'to make all Laws necessary and proper' to carry out its powers."
Picture
Congressman Hechler (left) and Senator Byrd (second from left) join Vice Presidential Candidate Lyndon Johnson (holding the umbrella) and WV Governor Hullett Smith (right) at the Huntington Airport during the 1960 presidential campaign.
On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, we invite you to a screening of the West Virginia Public Broadcasting documentary "Ken Hechler: In Pursuit of Justice." The film traces the evolution of Congressman Hechler’s political philosophy to the progressive movement of the early twentieth century and documents his commitment to public service and political office.  With added insight from U.S. Senators Tom Harkin, George McGovern, and Robert Dole, as well as Congressmen John Brademas and James Symington, the film highlights Hechler’s lifelong devotion to helping the citizens of the West Virginia and nation.
The film's producers, Russ Barbour and Chip Hitchcock will discuss the film in conversation with Cecelia Mason (former Eastern Panhandle Bureau Chief for West Virginia Public Broadcasting) and take questions after the screening. There will also be a gallery of documents and photographs on display from the Byrd Center's Archives examining some of the projects on which Senator Robert C. Byrd and Congressman Harley O. Staggers collaborated with Congressman Hechler. ​

On Thursday, April 6, 2017, the Byrd Center will conduct a civic education panel discussion on "Understanding the Electoral College" with Dr. Ray Smock (Director of the Byrd Center) and Thomas Neale (Specialist in American National Government). The panel will discuss the Electoral College’s origins, how the Electoral College functions within U.S. presidential elections, and key events in the Electoral College’s history.  Cecelia Mason, (former Eastern Panhandle Bureau Chief for West Virginia Public Broadcasting) an instructor in Shepherd University’s Communications Department, will moderate the session. 
Picture
Photo from the Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The program has been developed in cooperation with Shepherd University’s Lifelong Learning program, the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County, the Jefferson County Branch of the NAACP, the Republican Party of Jefferson County, Democrats of Jefferson County, the Libertarian Party of West Virginia, and the Mountain Party (the WV affiliate of the U.S. Green Party).

Both of these programs are free and open to the public. For more information and to reserve your seat(s) for these events, please visit our Congress Week page >> 


Comments are closed.
    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
    • Forum on Pollution
    • Formidable - author event
    • Summer Fundraiser 2023
    • Voices of the Community
    • Constitution Day
    • Past Events
  • Support Us
    • Friends of the Byrd Center
    • Name a Seat
    • Annual Report
  • Reservations
  • Login