Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers CollectionThe Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection contains the documentary, photographic, ephemeral, and audio/visual record of Robert C. Byrd's life and public career in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and the West Virginia Senate and House of Representatives. Ranging in date from 1917 to 2010, the bulk of the collection focuses on Senator Byrd's nine terms in the United States Senate (1959-2010).
Quick-Access to the Collection:Click on any of the buttons below to access finding aids for the Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection. Each file will download as a PDF and you can search them by pressing "Control - F"
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Collection Overview: |
Biographical Information: |
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The Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection is arranged in several large series. These include the Congress Series, Press Series, Projects Series, and Office Files Series. Each series includes its own respective subseries levels of arrangement which are described in detail in each section of the finding aid. The entire Byrd Collection extends for over 1,500 linear feet with the bulk date range extending from 1950-2010. You can learn more about each of these series by scrolling down through this page.
*The Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection is still undergoing processing and new series of the collection will continue to be added to the finding aids. These series include the Photograph Series, Audio/Visual Series, Memorabilia Series, and the Topical Files Series. |
Senator Robert C. Byrd (Nov. 20, 1917 - Jun. 28, 2010) represented West Virginia in the U.S. Congress for over 57 years. First elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1946, Senator Byrd served a term in the West Virginia Senate (1950-1952) before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1953. After serving three terms in the House, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1958 and served for the next 51 years until his death in 2010. Senator Byrd held more leadership positions in the U.S. Senate than any of his predecessors, serving as Majority Whip (1971-1977), Majority/Minority Leader (1977-1989), and President Pro Tempore (1989-1995, 2001-2003, 2007-2009). As a longtime member and chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Byrd secured over 10 billion dollars in federal aid for West Virginia, supporting and improving the state's infrastructure, industries, and educational institutions. Learn more >
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Collection Series Information:
*The finding aids are provided in PDF Format. To search by keyword, press "Control - F" and type your search in the bar that appears on the top-right of the page.
The bulk of the Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers collection consists of the senator’s personal papers that have been filed by Congressional term (as archived by his staff over the years). There are several sub-series within each congress including: Legislative Papers, casework Correspondence, Personal Papers, and Travel.
The Legislative sub-series is further divided into Appropriations (non-committee records documenting Senator Byrd’s time on the Senate Appropriations Committee); Bills (legislation that Senator Byrd introduced); and Legislative Files (a variety of records including background material on legislative issues and constituent correspondence on those issues).
Casework Correspondence is composed of Constituent casework (dealing with Federal Agencies) and West Virginia files (casework at the state level).
Senator Byrd’s Personal Papers sub-series contains a variety of records that were kept mainly in his capitol office. These include: appointments, thank you notes, tour and flag requests, memos, correspondence with presidents and other members of Congress, and other similar records.
Finally, the Travel sub-series details the senator’s trips and is comprised mostly of itineraries, some expense reports and receipts, and occasionally photographs of the trip itself.
The Legislative sub-series is further divided into Appropriations (non-committee records documenting Senator Byrd’s time on the Senate Appropriations Committee); Bills (legislation that Senator Byrd introduced); and Legislative Files (a variety of records including background material on legislative issues and constituent correspondence on those issues).
Casework Correspondence is composed of Constituent casework (dealing with Federal Agencies) and West Virginia files (casework at the state level).
Senator Byrd’s Personal Papers sub-series contains a variety of records that were kept mainly in his capitol office. These include: appointments, thank you notes, tour and flag requests, memos, correspondence with presidents and other members of Congress, and other similar records.
Finally, the Travel sub-series details the senator’s trips and is comprised mostly of itineraries, some expense reports and receipts, and occasionally photographs of the trip itself.
The Press Series contains news clippings, memoranda, correspondence, photographs, and other media documenting Senator Robert C. Byrd’s overall congressional career as related to and covered by the press. The entire collection spans the length of Senator Byrd’s career in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate from 1951-2010.
The series contains eight sub-series groups. The bulk of the collection, labeled as Press (160 Boxes) contains a variety of correspondence and press releases arranged first in chronological order and then alphabetically. The Appropriations sub-series (45 Boxes) contains records documenting the various projects addressed by Senator Byrd through the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Byrd’s Eye View sub-series (4 Boxes) contains the original press copies of Senator Byrd’s weekly newspaper column. The Charleston Gazette/Daily Mail sub-series (10 boxes) contains news clippings and releases for the newspapers in West Virginia’s state capital. The Newsletters sub-series (6 boxes) contains drafts and final copies of Senator Byrd’s monthly newsletters from 1962-1985. The Obituaries sub-series (2 boxes) contains news clippings of notable deaths collected by Senator Byrd’s staff. The Original Press Releases sub-series (10 Boxes) contains official press releases documenting Senator Byrd’s congressional activities during his tenure as Majority Whip and Democratic Party Leader. The final sub-series, the Press Photos (1 Box) contains photographs and cutlines (caption sheets) which were submitted to the press between 1987 and 2002.
The series contains eight sub-series groups. The bulk of the collection, labeled as Press (160 Boxes) contains a variety of correspondence and press releases arranged first in chronological order and then alphabetically. The Appropriations sub-series (45 Boxes) contains records documenting the various projects addressed by Senator Byrd through the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Byrd’s Eye View sub-series (4 Boxes) contains the original press copies of Senator Byrd’s weekly newspaper column. The Charleston Gazette/Daily Mail sub-series (10 boxes) contains news clippings and releases for the newspapers in West Virginia’s state capital. The Newsletters sub-series (6 boxes) contains drafts and final copies of Senator Byrd’s monthly newsletters from 1962-1985. The Obituaries sub-series (2 boxes) contains news clippings of notable deaths collected by Senator Byrd’s staff. The Original Press Releases sub-series (10 Boxes) contains official press releases documenting Senator Byrd’s congressional activities during his tenure as Majority Whip and Democratic Party Leader. The final sub-series, the Press Photos (1 Box) contains photographs and cutlines (caption sheets) which were submitted to the press between 1987 and 2002.
The series includes correspondence, memorandums, clippings, photographs, and other media items relating to West Virginian projects supported by Senator Robert C. Byrd. The correspondence includes official letters, constituent mailings, surveys and reports, brochures, and proclamations. There are requests for projects and funding, evaluations of disasters and needs within the state, progress reports, community responses (petitions), and summaries. Included are photographs and other media items, such as CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes, sent by constituents to Byrd related to various specific projects.
The series is further divided into five sub-series:
The Individual Counties subseries is comprised of individual counties, representing all fifty-five counties in the State of West Virginia. The counties contain a set of documents and media items arranged chronologically from the 1970s through 2010. Specific projects, arranged alphabetically, follow the chronological files. Topics range from large-scale infrastructure and flood protection projects to community centers, educational and health facilities, and individual constituent needs.
The Multi-County subseries contains files of projects that spanned multiple counties and statewide projects. A section of chronological files ranges in date from 1979 through 2010. Specific projects arranged alphabetically include infrastructure, military, industrial, education, flood-related, and subcommittee projects.
The Administrative subseries contains administrative files, including memoranda from Byrd's staff members, as well as topical memoranda, organized alphabetically. Also contained in the administrative files are the short histories of various projects from all fifty-five counties, compiled by members of Byrd's staff. Finally, memoranda and reports from trips taken by Byrd throughout the state related to projects are organized alphabetically by county and chronologically, respectively.
The Charleston Office subseries contains project case work handled by the staff at the Charleston Office for Senator Byrd.
The Martinsburg Office subseries contains project case work handled by the staff at the Martinsburg Office for Senator Byrd.
The series is further divided into five sub-series:
The Individual Counties subseries is comprised of individual counties, representing all fifty-five counties in the State of West Virginia. The counties contain a set of documents and media items arranged chronologically from the 1970s through 2010. Specific projects, arranged alphabetically, follow the chronological files. Topics range from large-scale infrastructure and flood protection projects to community centers, educational and health facilities, and individual constituent needs.
The Multi-County subseries contains files of projects that spanned multiple counties and statewide projects. A section of chronological files ranges in date from 1979 through 2010. Specific projects arranged alphabetically include infrastructure, military, industrial, education, flood-related, and subcommittee projects.
The Administrative subseries contains administrative files, including memoranda from Byrd's staff members, as well as topical memoranda, organized alphabetically. Also contained in the administrative files are the short histories of various projects from all fifty-five counties, compiled by members of Byrd's staff. Finally, memoranda and reports from trips taken by Byrd throughout the state related to projects are organized alphabetically by county and chronologically, respectively.
The Charleston Office subseries contains project case work handled by the staff at the Charleston Office for Senator Byrd.
The Martinsburg Office subseries contains project case work handled by the staff at the Martinsburg Office for Senator Byrd.
Senator Byrd eventually had four offices; one in Martinsburg and Charleston, and two in Washington, D.C. (one in the Hart Office building and one in the Capitol while he held various leadership positions). This series documents the logistics and administration of the offices, correspondence about various nominations, the Senator’s schedules (both daily and for the trips he took), constituent interaction (in the form of call logs and guest books), regional casework of the state offices, and requests for Senator Byrd to attend various events and functions.
The Speeches Series contains speeches given by Senator Robert C. Byrd throughout most of his years in the U.S. House of Representatives
and the U.S. Senate, ranging in date between 1952 and 2008. The speeches include floor statements, dedications, public appearances,
memoranda, and correspondence. Folders may contain both original and/or photocopied versions of speeches, some of which include
annotations and handwritten notes.
The series is arranged chronologically and the folders are labeled by the speech title as displayed on the original document. The speeches that
did not have titles were reviewed by the processing archivist and titled to reflect the main idea within the content of the speech. The speeches
that weren't marked with dates were placed at the end of the collection and arranged alphabetically by title.
Note: The records in the Speeches Series may overlap with similar records which appear in the Press Files and Congressional Record
Clippings Series of the Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection.
and the U.S. Senate, ranging in date between 1952 and 2008. The speeches include floor statements, dedications, public appearances,
memoranda, and correspondence. Folders may contain both original and/or photocopied versions of speeches, some of which include
annotations and handwritten notes.
The series is arranged chronologically and the folders are labeled by the speech title as displayed on the original document. The speeches that
did not have titles were reviewed by the processing archivist and titled to reflect the main idea within the content of the speech. The speeches
that weren't marked with dates were placed at the end of the collection and arranged alphabetically by title.
Note: The records in the Speeches Series may overlap with similar records which appear in the Press Files and Congressional Record
Clippings Series of the Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection.
