Dr. Kenneth R. Bailey, historian, will present a program on lesser-known West Virginians on December 1 from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the Archives and History Library in the Culture Center. He will discuss ten to fifteen West Virginians whose lives were unique in the history of the state but who are not known to most West Virginians and who do not appear in most written histories.
“Over the years, I have been struck by how many folks had an influence on West Virginia’s history simply in living and working in the state,” according to Bailey. “Each person has a story, admittedly some are more spectacular than others, but each has an impact. Investigating lesser known people of the past can make us realize how important our own actions can be.”
Among the West Virginians who will be included in Bailey’s presentation are William F. Dusenberry, James H. Ferguson, Albert E. Humphreys, Naomi Hosterman, and Thomas G. Nutter. Dusenberry and Humphreys were businessmen, and Hosterman was an artist. Both lawyers and politicians, the Democratic Ferguson’s life spanned most of the 19th century, while Nutter came of age during the African American civil rights struggles of the early 20th century.
Kenneth Bailey is the retired dean of the College of Business, Humanities and Sciences at WVU Institute of Technology and has been the editor for the West Virginia Historical Society newsletter for a number of years. He has written articles for West Virginia History and other publications and is the author of several books: Alleged Evil Genius: The Life and Times of Judge James H. Ferguson (2006); Kanawha County Public Library: A History (2004); and Mountaineers Are Free: A History of the West Virginia National Guard (1979, revised and expanded in 2008).
All Archives and History workshop sessions are free and the public is invited to attend. On December 1, the library will close at 5 p.m. and reopen at 5:45 p.m. for workshop participants only. To register in advance, contact Robert Taylor, library manager, by e-mail or at (304) 558-0230, ext. 163. Participants interested in registering by e-mail should send their name, telephone number and the name and date of the session. For additional information about the workshop, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.