Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Legislating a Future Vision for Appalachia: The West Virginia Delegation and the Appalachian Regional Development Act
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
In the mid-1950s, members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation put aside ideological differences to find a solution to the economic depression that had plagued the state for almost half a century. Working from piecemeal federal aid programs to attracting the attention of President John F. Kennedy, the delegation seized the opportunity to legislate a new future for Appalachia. In 1965, their efforts resulted in the passage of the Appalachian Regional Development Act, establishing a commission to distribute federal funding to thirteen states to diversify and redevelop Appalachia’s economy, create new job opportunities, and improve the living conditions of Appalachians with new infrastructure, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities.
To better understand the origins and the impact of this economic development program as it draws near to its next reauthorization by Congress in 2020, the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education is developing an online exhibit entitled “Redeveloping Appalachia: Legislating the Future of West Virginia.” Using congressional collections to understand how this vision was forged and the degree to which it has become reality, the exhibit will be a tool for in-class instruction, using primary source material, to help secondary and college students understand economic development policy and its past and future implications in Appalachia. This paper presentation will explore this historical narrative, the development of the exhibit, and how it will shape teaching modules that will apply this idea to the present state of Appalachia’s economy.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Jody Brumage is the Archivist and Office Manager for the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, located at Shepherd University. The center preserves congressional papers from three of West Virginia’s senators and representatives to promote representative democracy and educate the public about the history and importance of Congress and the Constitution. Jody has worked with the center since 2011. He received a BA in Public History from Shepherd University (2013) and a MARA from San Jose State University (2017).
Legislating a Future Vision for Appalachia: The West Virginia Delegation and the Appalachian Regional Development Act
In the mid-1950s, members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation put aside ideological differences to find a solution to the economic depression that had plagued the state for almost half a century. Working from piecemeal federal aid programs to attracting the attention of President John F. Kennedy, the delegation seized the opportunity to legislate a new future for Appalachia. In 1965, their efforts resulted in the passage of the Appalachian Regional Development Act, establishing a commission to distribute federal funding to thirteen states to diversify and redevelop Appalachia’s economy, create new job opportunities, and improve the living conditions of Appalachians with new infrastructure, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities.
To better understand the origins and the impact of this economic development program as it draws near to its next reauthorization by Congress in 2020, the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education is developing an online exhibit entitled “Redeveloping Appalachia: Legislating the Future of West Virginia.” Using congressional collections to understand how this vision was forged and the degree to which it has become reality, the exhibit will be a tool for in-class instruction, using primary source material, to help secondary and college students understand economic development policy and its past and future implications in Appalachia. This paper presentation will explore this historical narrative, the development of the exhibit, and how it will shape teaching modules that will apply this idea to the present state of Appalachia’s economy.
