Inspired by groundbreaking research that transformed the way scholars and the public visualize American political history, West Virginia University Libraries invites the WVU community and the public to join the opening of the forthcoming exhibition, “Cartography of Congress: A Geographic History of Political Parties” on April 16 at 4 p.m. in the Milano Reading Room of the Downtown Library in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Derived from the book “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress: 1789–1989” by WVU professor emeritus of geography Dr. Kenneth Martis, the exhibition will be a visual display showcasing 10 maps of important congressional elections from the Civil War era to the mid twentieth century.
The exhibition will explore the ever-evolving political choices of the American people and focus on West Virginia's history at the polls, dramatizing the rise and fall of political parties and the shifts of those parties from national-level organizations to sectional groupings and back again. In addition to maps, the exhibit will feature unique items from the West Virginia and Regional History Center’s (WVRHC) political collections, including historical photos, manuscripts, and campaign memorabilia.
During the exhibit opening, Dr. Martis and Dr. Raymond Smock, director emeritus at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education and former historian at the U.S. House of Representatives, will explore the significance of the atlas and its evolution over time. The program will also illuminate the ideas behind the maps on display and how they come to life in the exhibition, with special attention to West Virginia’s role in national political change.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to view rare materials from the WVRHC’s political collections, including historical photographs, manuscripts, and campaign memorabilia that bring these electoral stories into sharper focus.
Join WVU Libraries and the WVRHC for this important event in the Milano Reading Room of the Downtown Library at 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required, but is encouraged for planning purposes. Register here.