Robert Byrd - WikiHQ

Robert Carlyle Byrd (born Cornelius Calvin Sale Jr.; November 20, 1917 – June 28, 2010) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia for over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. A Democrat, Byrd also served as a U.S. representative for six years, from 1953 until 1959. He remains the longest-serving U.S. senator in history; he was the longest-serving member in the history of the United States Congress until surpassed by Representative John Dingell of Michigan. Byrd is the only West Virginian to have served in both chambers of the West Virginia legislature and in both chambers of Congress.

Byrd's political career spanned more than sixty years.  He first entered the political arena by organizing and leading a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, an action he later described as "the greatest mistake I ever made". As the longest-serving Democratic senator, Byrd held the position of President pro tempore four times when his party was in the majority. This placed him third in the line of presidential succession, after the vice president and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Byrd became West Virginia’s Senior Senator in 1985 following the retirement of Jennings Randolph. He served three different tenures as chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, which enabled Byrd to steer a great deal of federal money toward projects in West Virginia. Critics derided his efforts as pork barrel spending, while Byrd argued that the many federal projects he worked to bring to West Virginia represented progress for the people of his state. Notably, Byrd strongly opposed Clinton's 1993 efforts to allow homosexuals to serve in the military and supported efforts to limit same-sex marriage. When he was eleven months old, his mother died on Armistice Day during the 1918 flu pandemic. Byrd was the youngest of four dispersed the children among relatives. Calvin Jr. was adopted by his biological father's sister and her husband, Robert Byrd's biological father Calvin Sale went on to have four more children with his second wife, Ola (Pruitt) Sale.

Byrd was educated in the public schools of Stotesbury. Byrd played the violin at the Mark Twain School orchestra and the bass drum in the Mark Twain High School marching band. He was the valedictorian of his 1934 graduating class at Stotesbury's Mark Twain High School.

Marriage and children

left|thumb|Senator Byrd, his wife, Erma, and dog, Trouble

On May 29, 1937, Byrd married Erma Ora James (June 12, 1917 – March 25, 2006) who was born to a coal mining family in Floyd County, Virginia. Her family moved to Raleigh County, West Virginia, where she met Byrd when they attended the same high school.

Robert Byrd had two daughters (Mona Byrd Fatemi and Marjorie Byrd Moore), six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. While growing up, Byrd had heard that "the Klan defended the American way of life against racemixers and communists". He then wrote to Joel L. Baskin, Grand Dragon of the Realm of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, who responded that he would come and organize a chapter when Byrd had recruited 150 people. Byrd became a recruiter and leader of his chapter. Despite his later claim to have only been a KKK member for a year, documents indicate that Byrd joined the KKK around 1941, and a 1946 letter to Samuel Green indicates that Byrd was a Klan member until at least 1946.

In December 1944, Byrd wrote to segregationist Mississippi Senator Theodore G. Bilbo:

In 1946, Byrd wrote a letter to Samuel Green, the Ku Klux Klan's Grand Wizard, stating, "The Klan is needed today as never before, and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia and in every state in the nation". However, during his campaign for the United States House of Representatives in 1952, he announced that, "after about a year, I became disinterested, quit paying my dues, and dropped my membership in the organization", and that during the nine years that have followed, he had never been interested in the Klan. He said he had joined the Klan because he felt it offered excitement and was anti-communist, but also suggested his participation there "reflected the fears and prejudices" of the time. In his last autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a KKK member because he "was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision— a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions". Byrd also said in 2005, "I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times … and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened".

Early career

Byrd worked as a gas station attendant, grocery store clerk, and butcher. During World War II, he worked as a welder in shipyards in Baltimore and Tampa. After returning to West Virginia, he bought a grocery store in Sophia. In 1946, he won a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing Raleigh County from 1947 to 1950. In 1950, he was elected to the West Virginia Senate, where he served from December 1950 to December 1952. In 1965 the state abolished capital punishment, with the last execution having occurred in 1959.

Continued education

thumb|right|Byrd and President [[John F. Kennedy at his 1963 American University commencement ceremony]]

Early in his career Byrd attended Beckley College, Concord College, Morris Harvey College, Marshall College, and George Washington University Law School, all without receiving a degree. Byrd later decided to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, and in 1994 he graduated summa cum laude from Marshall University. American University itself normally required bachelor's degrees for admission to its law school, but, because Byrd had taken some courses in both undergraduate and law schools at other institutions, the Dean of American agreed to allow Byrd to attend as long as he maintanied at least a B average. While in law school, Byrd won the Mooers trophy as outstanding student in trial practice court, and received awards for the best examinations in Corporation Law, Security Transactions, and Administrative Law. He also served as legislation editor of the American University Law Review. He earned his Juris Doctor degree cum laude in 1963, According to the Historian of the United States Senate and the Congressional Research Service, Byrd is the only sitting member of Congress to have begun and completed law school while serving. Although Byrd graduated from law school, he was never admitted to the bar and never became a lawyer.

Congressional service

In 1952, Byrd was elected to the United States House of Representatives for West Virginia's 6th congressional district, However, Kennedy won the state's primary and eventually the general election.

Public service records

thumb|200px|Byrd early in his Senate career

Byrd was elected to a record ninth consecutive full Senate term in the November 7, 2006, midterm elections. He became the longest-serving senator in American history on June 12, 2006, surpassing Strom Thurmond of South Carolina with 17,327 days of service. On November 18, 2009, Byrd became the longest-serving member in congressional history, with 56 years, 320 days of combined service in the House and Senate, passing Carl Hayden of Arizona. Previously, Byrd had held the record for the longest unbroken tenure in the Senate (Thurmond resigned during his first term and was re-elected seven months later). He is the only senator ever to serve more than 50 years. Including his tenure as a state legislator from 1947 to 1953, Byrd's service on the political front exceeded 60 continuous years. Byrd, who never lost an election, cast his 18,000th vote on June 21, 2007, the most of any senator in history. John Dingell broke Byrd's record as longest-serving member of Congress on June 7, 2013.

Upon the death of former Florida Senator George Smathers on January 20, 2007, Byrd became the last living United States senator from the 1950s.

Having taken part in the admission of Alaska and Hawaii to the union, Byrd was the last surviving senator to have voted on a bill granting statehood to a U.S. territory. At the time of Byrd's death, 14 sitting or former members of the Senate had not been born when Byrd's tenure in the Senate began, as well as then-President Barack Obama.

Committee assignments

These are the committee assignments for Sen. Byrd's 9th and final term.

Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Defense
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Subcommittee on Homeland Security (Chair)
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Committee on the Budget
Committee on Rules and Administration

Filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

thumb|right|Senate Majority Whip Byrd meeting with President [[Gerald Ford]]

Byrd was a member of the wing of the Democratic Party that opposed federally-mandated desegregation and civil rights. However, despite his early career in the KKK, Byrd was linked to such senators as John C. Stennis, J. William Fulbright and George Smathers, who based their segregationist positions on their view of states' rights in contrast to senators like James Eastland, who held a reputation as a committed racist.

Byrd joined with Southern Democratic senators to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1964, personally filibustering the bill for 14 hours, a move he later said he regretted. Despite an 83-day filibuster in the Senate, both parties in Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Act (Democrats 47–16, Republicans 30–2) with Byrd voting against, and President Johnson would later sign the bill into law. He did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Byrd voted in favor of the initial House resolution for the Civil Rights Act of 1957 on June 18, 1957, but voted against the Senate amendment to the bill on August 27, 1957. Byrd voted against the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as well as the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, he voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1968. In 1983, Byrd voted in favor of making Martin Luther King Day a national holiday. In 2005, Byrd told The Washington Post that his membership in the Baptist church led to a change in his views. In the opinion of one reviewer, Byrd, like other Southern and border-state Democrats, came to realize that he would have to temper "his blatantly segregationist views" and move to the Democratic Party mainstream if he wanted to play a role nationally.

President Johnson rejected Byrd's observations. "Anyone can kick a barn down. It takes a good carpenter to build one".

1968 presidential election

During the 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Byrd supported the incumbent president Johnson. Of the challenging Robert F. Kennedy, Byrd said, "Bobby-come-lately has made a mistake. I won't even listen to him. There are many who liked his brother—as Bobby will find out—but who don't like him". Byrd praised Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley's police response to protest activity at that year's Democratic National Convention, stating that the violence that resulted was the fault of the protesters, while the police only tried to restore order. Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the presidential nomination, and Byrd campaigned for him that fall.

Considered for U.S. Supreme Court nomination

In October 1971, President Nixon announced that he was considering nominating Byrd to the Supreme Court. Because Byrd was not a licensed attorney and had never passed the bar or practiced law, there was some opposition to his proposed nomination. Byrd later asked Nixon to withdraw his name from consideration.

Leadership roles

thumb|right|Drawer of the Senate desk used by Democratic leaders, including Byrd

thumb|220px|left|Byrd as president pro tempore of the Senate

Byrd served in the Senate Democratic leadership. He succeeded George Smathers as secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference from 1967 to 1971.

thumb|right|Byrd with Senator [[Ted Stevens in 2003]]

In the 1976 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Byrd was the "favorite son" presidential candidate in West Virginia's primary. His easy victory gave him control of the delegation to the Democratic National Convention. Byrd had the inside track as Majority Whip but focused most of his time running for Majority Leader, more so than for re-election to the Senate, as he was virtually unopposed for his fourth term. By the time the vote for Majority Leader came, his lead was so secure that his lone rival, Minnesota's Hubert Humphrey, withdrew before the balloting took place. From 1977 to 1989 Byrd was the leader of the Senate Democrats, serving as Majority Leader from 1977 to 1981 and 1987 to 1989, and as Minority Leader from 1981 to 1987. After becoming chair of the Appropriations Committee in 1989, Byrd set a goal securing a total of for public works in the state. He passed that mark in 1991, and funds for highways, dams, educational institutions, and federal agency offices flowed unabated over the course of his membership. More than 30 existing or pending federal projects bear his name. He commented on his reputation for attaining funds for projects in West Virginia in August 2006, when he called himself "Big Daddy" at the dedication for the Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Science Center. Examples of this ability to claim funds and projects for his state include the Federal Bureau of Investigation's repository for computerized fingerprint records as well as several United States Coast Guard computing and office facilities.

Parliamentary expertise

Byrd was also known for using his knowledge of parliamentary procedure. Byrd frustrated Republicans with his encyclopedic knowledge of the inner workings of the Senate, particularly prior to the Reagan Era. From 1977 to 1979 he was described as "performing a procedural tap dance around the minority, outmaneuvering Republicans with his mastery of the Senate's arcane rules". In 1988, majority leader Byrd moved a call of the Senate, which was adopted by the majority present, in order to have the Sergeant-at-Arms arrest members not in attendance. One member (Robert Packwood, R-Oregon) was carried feet-first back to the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms in order to obtain a quorum.

President pro tempore

As the longest-serving Democratic senator, Byrd served as President pro tempore four times when his party was in the majority: The Department of Education competitively awards $50 to a year to school districts (in amounts of about $500,000 to ). The money goes to teacher training programs that are geared to improving the knowledge of history teachers. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 eliminated funding for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program.

Introduction of Television Cameras into the Senate

Television cameras were first introduced to the House of Representatives on March 19, 1979, by C-SPAN. Unsatisfied that Americans only saw Congress as the House of Representatives, Byrd and others pushed to televise Senate proceedings to prevent the Senate from becoming the "invisible branch" of government, succeeding in June 1986.

Senate historian

thumb|right|Byrd and [[Richard A. Baker (historian)|Dr. Richard Baker, the Senate historian]]

To help introduce the public to the inner workings of the legislative process, Byrd launched a series of one hundred speeches based on his examination of the Roman Republic and the intent of the Framers. Byrd published a four-volume series on Senate history: The Senate: 1789–1989: Addresses on the History of the Senate. The first volume won the Henry Adams Prize of the Society for History in the Federal Government as "an outstanding contribution to research in the history of the Federal Government". He also published The Senate of the Roman Republic: Addresses on the History of Roman Constitutionalism.

In 2004, Byrd received the American Historical Association's first Theodore Roosevelt-Woodrow Wilson Award for Civil Service; in 2007, Byrd received the Friend of History Award from the Organization of American Historians. Both awards honor individuals outside the academy who have made a significant contribution to the writing and/or presentation of history. In 2014, The Byrd Center for Legislative Studies (now the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education began assessing the archiving of Senator Byrd's electronic correspondence and floor speeches in order to preserve these documents and make them available to the wider community.

Final-term Senate highlights

thumb|Speech by Senator Byrd made to U.S. Senate following the indictment of [[Michael Vick on federal dog fighting charges]]

thumb|The Dalai Lama receiving a [[Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. From left: Tenzin Gyatso, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate President pro tempore Robert Byrd and U.S. President George W. Bush]]

On July 19, 2007, Byrd gave a 25-minute speech in the Senate against dog fighting in response to the indictment of football player Michael Vick.

For 2007, Byrd was deemed the 14th-most powerful senator, as well as the 12th-most powerful Democratic senator.

thumb|right|Byrd with farmers from West Virginia

On May 19, 2008, Byrd endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama for president. One week after the 2008 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary, in which Hillary Clinton defeated Obama by 67 to 25 percent, Byrd said, "Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support". When asked in October 2008 about the possibility that the issue of race would influence West Virginia voters, as Obama is African American, Byrd replied, "Those days are gone. Gone!" Obama lost West Virginia (by 13%) but won the election.

On January 26, 2009, Byrd was one of three Democrats to vote against the confirmation of Timothy Geithner as United States Secretary of the Treasury (along with Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Tom Harkin of Iowa).

On February 26, 2009, Byrd was one of two Democrats to vote against the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009, which if it had become law would have added a voting seat in the United States House of Representatives for the District of Columbia and add a seat for Utah, explaining that he supported the intent of the legislation, but regarded it as an attempt to solve with legislation an issue which required resolution with a Constitutional amendment. (Democrat Max Baucus of Montana also cast a "nay" vote.)

Although his health was poor, Byrd was present for every crucial vote during the December 2009 healthcare debate in the United States Senate; his vote was deemed essential so Democrats could obtain cloture to break a Republican filibuster. At the final vote on December 24, 2009, Byrd referenced recently deceased Senator Ted Kennedy, a devoted proponent, when casting his vote: "Mr. President, this is for my friend Ted Kennedy! Aye!"

Electoral history

U.S. House elections

U.S. Senate elections

West Virginia United States Senate election, 1988:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 410,983 (64.77%)
Jay Wolfe (R) - 223,564 (35.23%)

West Virginia Democratic primary for the United States Senate, 1994:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 190,061 (85.42%)
James M. Fuller - 20,057 (9.01%)
Paul Nuchims - 12,381 (5.57%)

West Virginia United States Senate election, 1994:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 290,495 (69.01%)
Stan Klos (R) - 130,441 (30.99%)

West Virginia United States Senate election, 2000:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 469,215 (77.75%)
David T. Gallaher (R) - 121,635 (20.16%)
Joe Whelan (LBT) - 12,627 (2.09%)

West Virginia Democratic primary for the United States Senate, 2006:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 159,154 (85.68%)
Billy Hendricks Jr. - 26,609 (14.32%)

West Virginia United States Senate election, 2006:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 291,058 (64.41%)
John Raese (R) - 152,315 (33.71%)
Jesse Johnson (Mountain) - 8,522 (1.89%)

Pro tempore elections

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1989:

Robert Byrd (D) - 55 (55.00%)
Strom Thurmond - 45 (45.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1991:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 56 (56.00%)
Strom Thurmond (R) - 44 (44.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1993:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 57 (57.00%)
Strom Thurmond (R) - 43 (43.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1995:

Strom Thurmond (R) - 52 (52.00%)
Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 48 (48.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1997:

Strom Thurmond (R) (inc.) - 55 (55.00%)
Robert Byrd - 45 (45.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 1999:

Strom Thurmond (R) (inc.) - 55 (55.00%)
Robert Byrd - 45 (45.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, January 3, 2001:

Robert Byrd (D) - 51 (50.50%)
Strom Thurmond (R) (inc.) - 50 (49.51%)

Vice President Al Gore cast tie-breaking vote

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, January 20, 2001:

Strom Thurmond (R) - 51 (50.50%)
Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 50 (49.51%)

Vice President Dick Cheney cast tie-breaking vote

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, June 6, 2001:

Robert Byrd (D) - 51 (51.00%)
Strom Thurmond (R) (inc.) - 49 (49.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 2003:

Ted Stevens (R) - 51 (51.00%)
Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 49 (49.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 2005:

Ted Stevens (R) (inc.) - 55 (55.00%)
Robert Byrd - 45 (45.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 2007:

Robert Byrd (D) - 51 (51.00%)
Ted Stevens (R) (inc.) - 49 (49.00%)

President pro tempore of the United States Senate, 2009:

Robert Byrd (D) (inc.) - 58 (58.59%)
Richard Lugar (R) - 41 (41.41%)

Presidential elections

West Virginia Democratic Presidential primary, 1976:

Robert Byrd - 331,639 (89.01%)
George Wallace - 40,938 (10.99%)

Florida Democratic Presidential primary, 1976:

Jimmy Carter - 448,844 (34.52%)
George Wallace - 396,820 (30.52%)
Henry M. Jackson - 310,944 (23.91%)
None of Names Shown - 37,626 (2.89%)
Milton Shapp - 32,198 (2.48%)
Mo Udall - 27,235 (2.09%)
Birch Bayh - 8,750 (0.67%)
Arthur O. Blessitt - 7,889 (0.61%)
Ellen McCormack - 7,595 (0.58%)
Sargent Shriver - 7,084 (0.55%)
Fred R. Harris - 5,397 (0.42%)
Robert Byrd - 5,042 (0.39%)
Frank Church - 4,906 (0.38%)

Georgia Democratic Presidential primary, 1976:

Jimmy Carter - 419,272 (83.44%)
George Wallace - 57,594 (11.46%)
Mo Udall - 9,755 (1.94%)
Robert Byrd - 3,628 (0.72%)
Henry M. Jackson - 3,358 (0.67%)
Frank Church - 2,477 (0.49%)
Frank Joseph Ahern - 1,487 (0.30%)
Sargent Shriver - 1,378 (0.27%)
Birch Bayh - 824 (0.16%)
Fred R. Harris - 699 (0.14%)
Ellen McCormack - 635 (0.13%)
Abram Eisenman - 351 (0.07%)
Lloyd Bentsen - 277 (0.06%)
Frank Bona - 263 (0.05%)
Milton Shapp - 181 (0.04%)
George Roden - 153 (0.03%)
Bob Kelleher - 139 (0.03%)

thumb|1976 Democratic Presidential primaries results by state

1976 Democratic Presidential primaries:

Jimmy Carter - 6,235,609 (39.19%)
Jerry Brown - 2,449,374 (15.39%)
George Wallace - 1,955,388 (12.29%)
Mo Udall - 1,611,754 (10.13%)
Henry M. Jackson - 1,134,375 (7.13%)
Frank Church - 830,818 (5.22%)
Robert Byrd - 340,309 (2.14%)
Sargent Shriver - 304,399 (1.91%)
Unpledged delegates - 283,437 (1.78%)
Ellen McCormack - 238,027 (1.50%)
Fred R. Harris - 234,568 (1.47%)
Milton Shapp - 88,254 (0.56%)
Birch Bayh - 86,438 (0.54%)
Hubert Humphrey - 61,992 (0.39%)
Ted Kennedy - 19,805 (0.12%)
Arthur O. Blessitt - 8,717 (0.06%)
Lloyd Bentsen - 4,046 (0.03%)

1976 Democratic National Convention (Presidential tally):

Jimmy Carter - 2,239 (74.48%)
Mo Udall - 330 (10.98%)
Jerry Brown - 301 (10.01%)
George Wallace - 57 (1.90%)
Ellen McCormack - 22 (0.73%)
Frank Church - 19 (0.63%)
Hubert Humphrey - 10 (0.33%)
Henry M. Jackson - 10 (0.33%)
Fred R. Harris - 9 (0.30%)
Milton Shapp - 2 (0.07%)
Robert Byrd, Cesar Chavez, Leon Jaworski, Barbara Jordan, Ted Kennedy, Jennings Randolph, Fred Stover - each 1 vote (0.03%)

1980 Democratic National Convention (Presidential tally):

Jimmy Carter (inc.) - 2,123 (64.04%)
Ted Kennedy - 1,151 (34.72%)
William Proxmire - 10 (0.30%)
Koryne Kaneski Horbal - 5 (0.15%)
Scott M. Matheson, Sr. - 5 (0.15%)
Ron Dellums - 3 (0.09%)
Robert Byrd - 2 (0.06%)
John Culver - 2 (0.06%)
Kent Hance - 2 (0.06%)
Jennings Randolph - 2 (0.06%)
Warren Spannaus - 2 (0.06%)
Alice Tripp - 2 (0.06%)
Jerry Brown - 1 (0.03%)
Dale Bumpers - 1 (0.03%)
Hugh L. Carey - 1 (0.03%)
Walter Mondale - 1 (0.03%)
Edmund Muskie - 1 (0.03%)
Thomas J. Steed - 1 (0.03%)

Political views

Race

thumb|upright|Portrait of Byrd as Majority Leader

Byrd initially compiled a mixed record on the subjects of race relations and desegregation. While he initially voted against civil rights legislation, in 1959 he hired one of the Capitol's first Black congressional aides, and he also took steps to integrate the United States Capitol Police for the first time since the Reconstruction Era. Beginning in the 1970s, Byrd explicitly renounced his earlier support of racial segregation. Byrd said that he regretted filibustering and voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and would change it if he had the opportunity. Byrd also said that his views changed dramatically after his teenage grandson was killed in a 1982 traffic accident, which put him in a deep emotional valley. "The death of my grandson caused me to stop and think," said Byrd, adding he came to realize that African Americans love their children and grandchildren as much as he loved his. During debate in 1983 over the passage of the law creating the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, Byrd grasped the symbolism of the day and its significance to his legacy, telling members of his staff "I'm the only one in the Senate who must vote for this bill". In Marshall's case, Byrd asked FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to look into the possibility that Marshall had either connections to communists or a communist past. With respect to Thomas, Byrd stated that he was offended by Thomas's use of the phrase "high-tech lynching of uppity blacks" in his defense and that he was "offended by the injection of racism" into the hearing. He called Thomas's comments a "diversionary tactic" and said, "I thought we were past that stage". Regarding Anita Hill's sexual harassment charges against Thomas, Byrd supported Hill. Byrd joined 45 other Democrats in voting against confirming Thomas to the Supreme Court.

On March 29, 1968, Byrd criticized a Memphis, Tennessee, protest: "It was a shameful and totally uncalled for outburst of lawlessness undoubtedly encouraged to some considerable degree, at least, by his [Dr. King's] words and actions, and his presence. There is no reason for us to believe that the same destructive rioting and violence cannot, or that it will not, happen here if King attempts his so-called Poor People's March, for what he plans in Washington appears to be something on a far greater scale than what he had indicated he planned to do in Memphis".

In a March 2, 2001, interview with Tony Snow, Byrd said of race relations:

Byrd's use of the term "white nigger" created immediate controversy. When asked about it, Byrd's office provided this in a written response,