On Thursday, September 15, 2016, Greg Carroll will present “Reconstruction in West Virginia, 1865-1875: A Failure that Led to Future Mistakes,” in the Archives and History Library of the Culture Center in Charleston. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
The State of West Virginia was formed in 1863 by a Republican elite that was quickly overwhelmed by a Democratic backlash after the Civil War and voted out of power by 1870. The reactionary return to courthouse clique control of the state led to the eventual takeover of natural resources by out-of-state interests. According to Carroll, the Reconstruction period laid the foundation for a colonial economy and an abusive labor system, which created the boom-and-bust cycle that continues to shape West Virginia’s present-day economy.
Greg Carroll was a historian at West Virginia Archives and History for 23 years. A native of Texas, he is a long-time resident of Putnam County. Carroll is a graduate of the University of Texas and Marshall University, has studied Native American and Civil War history in West Virginia, and has spoken statewide on these topics. He also serves on the boards of the West Virginia International Film Festival and West Virginia Citizen Action Group.
Participants may park behind the Culture Center after 5:00 p.m. on September 15 and enter the building at the back loading dock area. There also is limited handicapped parking available in the new bus turnaround.
For additional information, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.
