Objects from Byrd Collection Exhibited at Scarborough Library

Note: This post was previously listed under our "News from the Grey Box" blog series 

The Ruth Scarborough Library at Shepherd University is hosting an exhibit of objects from the Senator Robert C. Byrd collection. The Director of Archives, Marc Levitt, his assistant Jody Brumage, and the rest of the staff and interns at the Byrd Center collaborated on the object selection and overall exhibit design. Three exhibit cases highlight important aspects of Byrd’s life and career, featuring his senatorial leadership, appropriations to the state of West Virginia, and his creative nature as a scholar and a musician.

The Lifetime of Leadership Case

The Appropriations Case

In the lobby of the library, visitors will see two cases. One includes objects from Byrd’s many positions of leadership in the Senate. An assortment of documents, photographs, and objects highlight Byrd’s ascension to these positions and his role in some of the key decisions made during his tenure.
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A second case includes objects relative illustrative of Senator Byrd’s appropriations to West Virginia. Some of these projects related to transportation and defense, while others enhanced the state’s educational and recreational institutions. On the national level, Byrd was widely recognized for his leadership on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and over his career he appropriated approximately $10 billion dollars to projects throughout the state.

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Byrd’s Creative Works Case

The largest display is found in the reading room of the library, and includes various objects ranging from childhood drawings and a painting, to research notes and Byrd’s published books. Visitors can see the creative side of Robert Byrd, including products of his dedication to the study of history and his great talents as an accomplished country fiddler.

The Byrd Center invites you to take this opportunity to view a unique sampling of the hundreds of objects contained in the collections of our archive. For general questions about the exhibit or a tour of the Center, feel free to contact any of the Byrd Center staff. If you find any of these documents, photographs, or objects particularly interesting and would like to schedule a follow-up research appointment in the archive, please contact Jody.

We thank the Ruth Scarborough Library for accommodating the exhibit, which will run through January 24, 2014. For hours, please visit the Scarborough Library website.

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