Founded in 1837, Marshall University is named in honor of the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Marshall. As expressed in remarks by President Jerome “Jerry” Gilbert at a reception for the exhibit, Senator Byrd had a special connection to the university. In the early 1950s, Senator Byrd took classes at Marshall, one of four institutions he attended during his undergraduate studies. Marshall University President Wade Gilley determined that the credits which Senator Byrd had earned while attending Beckley College, Concord College, Morris Harvey College, and Marshall were sufficient to award him with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. During the 1994 commencement ceremonies, President Gilley presented then seventy-six year old Senator Byrd with the degree. Senator Byrd returned to Marshall four years later in 1998 to dedicate the newly-built John Deaver Drinko Library, where the traveling exhibit is now on display. Our stop in Huntington included the opportunity to collaborate with faculty from Marshall University’s History and Public Administration and Policy departments in a panel discussion on Senator Byrd’s legacy in West Virginia and in the United States. The panel featured our own Director, Dr. Ray Smock and Director of Programs and Research, Dr. Jay Wyatt as well as Dr. Damien Arthur, Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy. Dr. Kevin Barksdale, Associate Professor of American History moderated the panel and discussion.
We thank Dr. Monica Brooks, Associate Vice President of Libraries and Online Learning at the J. Deaver Drinko Library for hosting our visit to Marshall University. In addition to the library, we received support from the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing and the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Byrd Exhibit will be on display in the Drinko Library until Monday, May 15, 2017.
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