April 10, 2025
Byrd Center Welcomes Patrick Fuller as New Assistant
The Byrd Center is pleased to announce that Patrick Fuller, a 2021 graduate of Shepherd University with a B.A. in History, has joined the staff of the Byrd Center as Administrative and Program Assistant. He takes the place of Kristen Marino, who remains on campus with the Civil War Center and the Appalachian Studies Program.
Patrick served an internship with the Byrd Center in 2020 and brings to the Byrd Center excellent experience in public history, with positions and internships with the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, the National Park Service's Interpretive Design Center, and the National Park Service's Museum Management Program.
A Baltimore native, Patrick moved to Shepherdstown in 2021.
Patrick served an internship with the Byrd Center in 2020 and brings to the Byrd Center excellent experience in public history, with positions and internships with the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, the National Park Service's Interpretive Design Center, and the National Park Service's Museum Management Program.
A Baltimore native, Patrick moved to Shepherdstown in 2021.
April 9, 2025
New Editorial by Dr. Ray Smock
Read Dr. Ray Smock’s commentary “Sailing (or Sinking) in Uncharted Waters” on the challenges to the Byrd Center in a time of lawless government.
January 26, 2025
Director Emeritus Smock Speaks about Panama Canal
Recently Director Emeritus Dr. Ray Smock spoke with Lyn Widmyer about Senator Robert Byrd's involvement with the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 ended US control of the canal and ensured its neutrality. Senator Byrd successfully navigated the treaty through the Senate. You can watch the interview here.
September 5, 2024
Plaque dedicated to U.S. Senator Joe Manchin unveiled at Byrd Center
President Mary Hendrix presents the plaque to Senator Joe Manchin
The Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education welcomed guests on September 5 to dedicate a plaque acknowledging U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s service to Shepherd University.
Senator Manchin greeted members of the Shepherd community ahead of the ceremony where Shepherd University President Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix spoke, thanking the Senator for always being available for Shepherd.
“One of the things I appreciate most about working with Senator Manchin is that no matter what was going on, I could pick up the phone or text, and he always responded and was willing to listen,” said President Hendrix.
Hendrix touted Senator Manchin’s career as a public servant for more than 40 years. She said he played an integral role in securing funding for the University during that time. “[That funding] has gone to projects like the development of the east campus and c and network architecture upgrades, to resources for students and businesses like our Agricultural Innovation Center,” she explained.
Manchin thanked Hendrix and the University for the honor and said he has worked closely with U.S. Senator Shelly Moore Capito to move West Virginia forward. “Shelly [Capito] and I work well together,” Manchin said. “When something is needed in our state, we’ll get our teams together and we’ll work together.”
The bronze plaque will be installed in the Byrd Center at a later date.
By Hans Fogle, Shepherd University Communications
Senator Manchin greeted members of the Shepherd community ahead of the ceremony where Shepherd University President Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix spoke, thanking the Senator for always being available for Shepherd.
“One of the things I appreciate most about working with Senator Manchin is that no matter what was going on, I could pick up the phone or text, and he always responded and was willing to listen,” said President Hendrix.
Hendrix touted Senator Manchin’s career as a public servant for more than 40 years. She said he played an integral role in securing funding for the University during that time. “[That funding] has gone to projects like the development of the east campus and c and network architecture upgrades, to resources for students and businesses like our Agricultural Innovation Center,” she explained.
Manchin thanked Hendrix and the University for the honor and said he has worked closely with U.S. Senator Shelly Moore Capito to move West Virginia forward. “Shelly [Capito] and I work well together,” Manchin said. “When something is needed in our state, we’ll get our teams together and we’ll work together.”
The bronze plaque will be installed in the Byrd Center at a later date.
By Hans Fogle, Shepherd University Communications
May 17, 2024
Grant gives teachers money for classroom civics lessons
Five middle and high school teachers were awarded classroom grants after participating in a Benedum Foundation sponsored summer institute run by Shepherd University’s Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education and Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities.
The teachers were among 30 participants in a summer workshop in June 2023 called People Powered: Civic Action, Community Engagement, and American Representative Democracy. The goal was to encourage teachers to transform 10th-12th grade history, social studies, and civics classes, and AP American history classes, by utilizing the rich resources of the Byrd Archives.
Each teacher received a $1,000 stipend for attending the workshop to use for resources and materials. In April they made presentations showing how they utilized the money. The teacher making the most effective presentation was awarded a $5,000 prize for the school to enhance its social studies curriculum and/or to apply toward learning resources and educational initiatives. Judges were Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, retired director of the Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, and Dr. Jason Allen, assistant professor of education.
The $5,000 prize went to Harpers Ferry Middle School for eighth-grade West Virginia studies teacher Caitlin Barker’s project titled “Storer College: Researching Our Local History and the Byrd Archive.”
“Caitlin touched each of the evaluative points and gave her students an exceptional learning experience as well as utilizing the Byrd Center Archive first-hand,” wrote Shurbutt and Allen.
Runner-up prizes of $2,500 went to four other teachers.
Huntington High School 10th- and 11th-grade teacher Heather Fletcher developed a unit called “Our Roots Run Deep: A Small Town with a Big Story, Black Huntington.” Fletcher introduced the work of Black scholars Dr. Bill Turner and Dr. Cicero Fain to her students as they explored the enriching environment of Huntington for African Americans in the early 20th century.
Alicen Galanis, who teaches world history and geography at Spring Mills High School, developed an interdisciplinary teaching unit called “Discovering the Great Depression and Harlem Renaissance in Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God.’”
Ned MacFadden, a seventh-grade media teacher at Eastern Middle School’s Humanities and Communications Magnet Program in Montgomery County, Maryland, introduced his students to a lesson called “West Virginia and Maryland: Shared Problems, Shared Solutions.”
Ashley Malott, a ninth-grade advanced placement and honors world history teacher at Washington High School in Jefferson County, West Virginia, developed a lesson called “Data-Based Questions (DBQ) for AP History Students and the Robert Byrd Center.”
The People Powered project was made possible by a $136,250 grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
by Cecelia Mason, Shepherd University Communications
The teachers were among 30 participants in a summer workshop in June 2023 called People Powered: Civic Action, Community Engagement, and American Representative Democracy. The goal was to encourage teachers to transform 10th-12th grade history, social studies, and civics classes, and AP American history classes, by utilizing the rich resources of the Byrd Archives.
Each teacher received a $1,000 stipend for attending the workshop to use for resources and materials. In April they made presentations showing how they utilized the money. The teacher making the most effective presentation was awarded a $5,000 prize for the school to enhance its social studies curriculum and/or to apply toward learning resources and educational initiatives. Judges were Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, retired director of the Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, and Dr. Jason Allen, assistant professor of education.
The $5,000 prize went to Harpers Ferry Middle School for eighth-grade West Virginia studies teacher Caitlin Barker’s project titled “Storer College: Researching Our Local History and the Byrd Archive.”
“Caitlin touched each of the evaluative points and gave her students an exceptional learning experience as well as utilizing the Byrd Center Archive first-hand,” wrote Shurbutt and Allen.
Runner-up prizes of $2,500 went to four other teachers.
Huntington High School 10th- and 11th-grade teacher Heather Fletcher developed a unit called “Our Roots Run Deep: A Small Town with a Big Story, Black Huntington.” Fletcher introduced the work of Black scholars Dr. Bill Turner and Dr. Cicero Fain to her students as they explored the enriching environment of Huntington for African Americans in the early 20th century.
Alicen Galanis, who teaches world history and geography at Spring Mills High School, developed an interdisciplinary teaching unit called “Discovering the Great Depression and Harlem Renaissance in Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God.’”
Ned MacFadden, a seventh-grade media teacher at Eastern Middle School’s Humanities and Communications Magnet Program in Montgomery County, Maryland, introduced his students to a lesson called “West Virginia and Maryland: Shared Problems, Shared Solutions.”
Ashley Malott, a ninth-grade advanced placement and honors world history teacher at Washington High School in Jefferson County, West Virginia, developed a lesson called “Data-Based Questions (DBQ) for AP History Students and the Robert Byrd Center.”
The People Powered project was made possible by a $136,250 grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
by Cecelia Mason, Shepherd University Communications
April 17, 2024
Capstone presentations for Benedum Foundation Social Studies Project
People Powered: Civic Action, Community Engagement, and American Representative Democracy
The year-long Benedum Foundation Grant, sponsored by the Robert Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education (in partnership with the Stubblefield Institute and the Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities at Shepherd University), will come to conclusion on Saturday, April 20, at 9:00 a.m. The project goal was to infuse Social Studies classrooms with experiential learning exploring the dynamics of democratic principles and the archival richness of the Robert Byrd Center.
Social Studies teachers across the state are competing in this capstone experience for Benedum "People Powered" prizes, ranging from $5000 to $2500, funds that will go directly to programs at their schools for enhancing the teaching of social studies.
The year-long Benedum Foundation Grant, sponsored by the Robert Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education (in partnership with the Stubblefield Institute and the Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities at Shepherd University), will come to conclusion on Saturday, April 20, at 9:00 a.m. The project goal was to infuse Social Studies classrooms with experiential learning exploring the dynamics of democratic principles and the archival richness of the Robert Byrd Center.
Social Studies teachers across the state are competing in this capstone experience for Benedum "People Powered" prizes, ranging from $5000 to $2500, funds that will go directly to programs at their schools for enhancing the teaching of social studies.
March 25, 2024
Byrd CHE to receive Congressionally Directed Spending Award
The Byrd CHE is thrilled to announce it will receive a Congressionally Directed Spending Award. We are profoundly grateful to Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin for their support of our project. This special funding allows the advancement of the critical missions of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education. The award of $250,000 from the National Archives and Records Administration will support the digitization of paper and photographic records. The proposal was created by Director Emeritus and Resident Scholar Dr. Ray Smock; Project Director Dr. Jim Broomall, Byrd Center Director.
November 15, 2023
Byrd CHE announces Dr. James Broomall as new Director
Dr. James J. Broomall and Dr. Ray Smock
The Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education will be under new leadership in the upcoming year following the second retirement of longtime director Dr. Ray Smock. Shepherd University and the Robert C. Byrd Center Board of Directors announce that beginning on January 1, 2024, Dr. James Broomall, associate professor of history and director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, will serve as the new director.
“I am excited and honored to continue the work of my colleague and friend Dr. Ray Smock and look forward to collaborating with the Robert C. Byrd Center’s Board of Directors,” Broomall said. “As we enter this new phase of leadership, it is essential that we renew our commitment to civic education, especially among the local and regional community, but also continue a history of excellence in public programming. Only by redoubling these efforts can we promote a clearer understanding of the role and history of the United States Congress and our sacred Constitution.”
The mission of the Byrd Center is to advance representative democracy and promote a better understanding of the United States Congress and Constitution through programs and research that engage citizens. The Byrd Center archive contains the vast papers of the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd and other members of Congress from West Virginia. The Center has been a national leader in the preservation of the papers of former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
Broomall believes it is essential to continue cultivating and promoting engagement by citizens so they are familiar with the inner workings of and solutions possible through shared governance, especially in this era of political discord. He envisions the Center will continue to promote student internships, public programs, and shared projects between the George Tyler Moore Center and the Byrd Center.
“Both centers are grounded in the deep history of West Virginia, and this moment affords an opportunity to cultivate and promote guiding partnerships,” Broomall said.
Smock, founding director of the Byrd Center from 2002 to 2017, returned on an interim basis in 2021 when then director Dr. Jay Wyatt left to assume a position at the National Archives in Washington D.C.
“I am delighted to turn the reigns of the Byrd Center over to Jim Broomall,” Smock said, “because he is a fine scholar and campus leader who also directs the Civil War Center.”
Smock, the former Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives, will retain a connection with the Byrd Center as Director Emeritus and Resident Scholar, but will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations.
Joe Stewart, the chairman of the board of the Congressional Education Foundation that oversees the work of the nonprofit Byrd Center, said, “We are honored and very pleased to have Dr. Broomall assume the leadership of the Byrd Center, and we look forward to working with him to foster the mission of the Center.”
“We are delighted that Dr. Broomall will lead the Byrd Center and carry on the rich legacy established by Dr. Smock,” said Shepherd President Mary J.C. Hendrix. “We are profoundly grateful to Dr. Smock for his remarkable contributions in making the Center a world-class Congressional archive and educational resource dedicated to promoting representative democracy. I look forward, under Dr. Broomall’s leadership, to further advancing the special partnership between the Byrd Center and the University.”
Broomall earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida, his M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his B.A. from the University of Delaware. He has worked in diverse environments, ranging from academic institutions to local museums, and developed courses, conferences, and programs of interpretation focusing on the experiences of civilians, soldiers, and slaves during the mid-19th century. Broomall has published several books, including Private Confederacies: The Emotional Worlds of Southern Men as Citizens and Soldiers as part of the University of North Carolina Press’ Civil War America series; and an edited collection, Rethinking American Emancipation: Legacies of Slavery and the Quest for Black Freedom, with William A. Link (2016, Cambridge University Press).
The Byrd Center’s auditorium and classrooms have been widely used by many campus and community groups, and it partners with Shepherd’s Lifelong Learning Program, George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, and Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications.
“I am excited and honored to continue the work of my colleague and friend Dr. Ray Smock and look forward to collaborating with the Robert C. Byrd Center’s Board of Directors,” Broomall said. “As we enter this new phase of leadership, it is essential that we renew our commitment to civic education, especially among the local and regional community, but also continue a history of excellence in public programming. Only by redoubling these efforts can we promote a clearer understanding of the role and history of the United States Congress and our sacred Constitution.”
The mission of the Byrd Center is to advance representative democracy and promote a better understanding of the United States Congress and Constitution through programs and research that engage citizens. The Byrd Center archive contains the vast papers of the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd and other members of Congress from West Virginia. The Center has been a national leader in the preservation of the papers of former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
Broomall believes it is essential to continue cultivating and promoting engagement by citizens so they are familiar with the inner workings of and solutions possible through shared governance, especially in this era of political discord. He envisions the Center will continue to promote student internships, public programs, and shared projects between the George Tyler Moore Center and the Byrd Center.
“Both centers are grounded in the deep history of West Virginia, and this moment affords an opportunity to cultivate and promote guiding partnerships,” Broomall said.
Smock, founding director of the Byrd Center from 2002 to 2017, returned on an interim basis in 2021 when then director Dr. Jay Wyatt left to assume a position at the National Archives in Washington D.C.
“I am delighted to turn the reigns of the Byrd Center over to Jim Broomall,” Smock said, “because he is a fine scholar and campus leader who also directs the Civil War Center.”
Smock, the former Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives, will retain a connection with the Byrd Center as Director Emeritus and Resident Scholar, but will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations.
Joe Stewart, the chairman of the board of the Congressional Education Foundation that oversees the work of the nonprofit Byrd Center, said, “We are honored and very pleased to have Dr. Broomall assume the leadership of the Byrd Center, and we look forward to working with him to foster the mission of the Center.”
“We are delighted that Dr. Broomall will lead the Byrd Center and carry on the rich legacy established by Dr. Smock,” said Shepherd President Mary J.C. Hendrix. “We are profoundly grateful to Dr. Smock for his remarkable contributions in making the Center a world-class Congressional archive and educational resource dedicated to promoting representative democracy. I look forward, under Dr. Broomall’s leadership, to further advancing the special partnership between the Byrd Center and the University.”
Broomall earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida, his M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his B.A. from the University of Delaware. He has worked in diverse environments, ranging from academic institutions to local museums, and developed courses, conferences, and programs of interpretation focusing on the experiences of civilians, soldiers, and slaves during the mid-19th century. Broomall has published several books, including Private Confederacies: The Emotional Worlds of Southern Men as Citizens and Soldiers as part of the University of North Carolina Press’ Civil War America series; and an edited collection, Rethinking American Emancipation: Legacies of Slavery and the Quest for Black Freedom, with William A. Link (2016, Cambridge University Press).
The Byrd Center’s auditorium and classrooms have been widely used by many campus and community groups, and it partners with Shepherd’s Lifelong Learning Program, George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, and Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications.
December 15, 2023
Ray Smock Book Mentioned in Wall Street Journal List
A 2009 book written by Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education Interim Director Ray Smock is listed in the December 6, 2023, issue of The Wall Street Journal Books and Arts section as one of the five best books on Gilded Age politics. Writer C.W. Goodyear, author of “President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier,” lists Smock’s biography about Booker T. Washington, saying “Smock succeeds where Washington’s previous biographers fell short: distilling the life while losing none of its scale, and deftly untangling Washington’s legacy of appeasement toward whites. Mr. Smock does not dismiss the criticism of Washington, nor does he fault Washington’s attempt to bridge racial divides.”
December 12, 2023
Biographer of Senator Byrd donates funds for Shepherd interns
Anna Steig, an English major from Hagerstown, Maryland, digitizes documents in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education.
Author and historian C.W. Goodyear is conducting research for a biography of Sen. Robert C. Byrd at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education at Shepherd University. Goodyear, author of “Garfield: From Radical to Unifier,” a critically acclaimed biography of the 20th President of the United States, has also donated to the center to facilitate work on Byrd’s biography.
“I’m excited that my next book will be an authoritative biography of Sen. Byrd,” Goodyear said. “He is the ideal subject: someone whose remarkable political career both shaped the trajectory of our country as well as reflected its transformation over a crucial period of history. I am blessed to be partnered in this effort with the Byrd Center—a place where a world-class collection is matched by the professionalism, diligence, and kindness of its staff.”
To facilitate the research, Goodyear donated approximately $12,000 to cover stipends for two Shepherd students to digitize some of Byrd’s papers. The donation also covered the cost of new digitization equipment.
Interns Joanna Schoonover, a history major from Preston, Maryland, and Anna Steig, an English major from Hagerstown, Maryland, are digitizing the papers. Their work will benefit Goodyear’s research and help with the center’s desire to make Byrd’s papers more widely available.
“There are numerous beneficiaries to Charlie’s generous donation,” said Tish Wiggs, Byrd Center archivist. “He is receiving invaluable help with his future project; the Byrd Center is getting time and funding to begin a mass digitization project; and Shepherd students are learning valuable technical skills working with a major congressional archive. We are grateful for Charlie’s trust in us and look forward to our continued partnership.”
“We are honored and delighted that Charlie Goodyear will be writing a biography of Sen. Byrd using our resources as the foundation of his work,” said Ray Smock, Byrd Center interim director. “He has established himself as a major biographer, and Sen. Byrd’s story is a rich and complex one that needs to be told.”
The first leg of the project will run through the end of the spring 2024 semester, with the possibility of renewal.
“I’m excited that my next book will be an authoritative biography of Sen. Byrd,” Goodyear said. “He is the ideal subject: someone whose remarkable political career both shaped the trajectory of our country as well as reflected its transformation over a crucial period of history. I am blessed to be partnered in this effort with the Byrd Center—a place where a world-class collection is matched by the professionalism, diligence, and kindness of its staff.”
To facilitate the research, Goodyear donated approximately $12,000 to cover stipends for two Shepherd students to digitize some of Byrd’s papers. The donation also covered the cost of new digitization equipment.
Interns Joanna Schoonover, a history major from Preston, Maryland, and Anna Steig, an English major from Hagerstown, Maryland, are digitizing the papers. Their work will benefit Goodyear’s research and help with the center’s desire to make Byrd’s papers more widely available.
“There are numerous beneficiaries to Charlie’s generous donation,” said Tish Wiggs, Byrd Center archivist. “He is receiving invaluable help with his future project; the Byrd Center is getting time and funding to begin a mass digitization project; and Shepherd students are learning valuable technical skills working with a major congressional archive. We are grateful for Charlie’s trust in us and look forward to our continued partnership.”
“We are honored and delighted that Charlie Goodyear will be writing a biography of Sen. Byrd using our resources as the foundation of his work,” said Ray Smock, Byrd Center interim director. “He has established himself as a major biographer, and Sen. Byrd’s story is a rich and complex one that needs to be told.”
The first leg of the project will run through the end of the spring 2024 semester, with the possibility of renewal.
Pictured during the signing of an agreement to donate scanners and internship stipends to the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education are (l. to r.) Tish Wiggs, C.W. Goodyear, and Ray Smock
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Author C.W. Goodyear and intern Joanna Schoonover, a history major from Preston, Maryland
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November 8, 2023
Author C.W. Goodyear offers talk about President Garfield biography
Acclaimed biographer of President James Garfield, C. W. Goodyear, offered a talk and signed books at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium on Wednesday, November 8, at 7 p.m. This event was co-sponsored by the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War and Shepherd’s Lifelong Learning Program.
In this outstanding biography, President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier, Goodyear charts the life and times of one of the most remarkable Americans ever to win the presidency, James Garfield. Over nearly two decades in Congress during a polarized era—Reconstruction and the Gilded Age—Garfield served as a peacemaker in a Republican Party and America defined by divisions. He was elected president to overcome them. He was killed while trying to do so.
C.W. Goodyear was born in Louisiana. He moved between Australia and the United Kingdom while growing up, before returning to the U.S. to attend Yale University. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
In this outstanding biography, President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier, Goodyear charts the life and times of one of the most remarkable Americans ever to win the presidency, James Garfield. Over nearly two decades in Congress during a polarized era—Reconstruction and the Gilded Age—Garfield served as a peacemaker in a Republican Party and America defined by divisions. He was elected president to overcome them. He was killed while trying to do so.
C.W. Goodyear was born in Louisiana. He moved between Australia and the United Kingdom while growing up, before returning to the U.S. to attend Yale University. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Biographer C.W. Goodyear
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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.
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