From Vision to Reality: The Life and Career of Harry Clifton Byrd

"From Vision to Reality" chronicles the life and accomplishments of a remarkable leader who left an indelible mark on the University System of Maryland and its College Park campus, in particular. The exhibition follows Harry Clifton Byrd from his childhood in Crisfield on Maryland's Eastern Shore through his student years at the Maryland Agricultural College and his return to the University of Maryland as a faculty member, football coach, and assistant director of athletics. Focusing on Byrd's achievements as president of the university from 1935 to 1954, it highlights his accomplishments as an administrator, a builder of physical facilities, a supporter of athletics, and a deft political negotiator and solicitor of funding. "From Vision to Reality" also examines Harry Clifton Byrd's runs for political office, his ties to the university following his resignation from the presidency in 1954, and Byrd's various business, civic, and service endeavors. The exhibition concludes with documentation of Byrd's efforts to turn his visions of the future of the University of Maryland into a reality and a summation of his impact on his beloved alma mater.

"From Vision to Reality" draws heavily upon the rich resources of the Sterling Byrd Collection, donated to the University of Maryland Libraries in 1998 by Mr. Byrd's estate. Sterling Byrd, the youngest child of Harry Clifton Byrd, preserved a wealth of documentation about his father's life and career. Sterling also inherited and maintained a major grouping of correspondence, publications, photographs, legal and financial records, memorabilia, and other materials about contemporary members of the Byrd family and their ancestors. This collection provides an invaluable insight into the personal life and professional achievements of one of the most significant figures in University of Maryland history.

Materials in the exhibition are also drawn from the:

• Personal papers of Harry Clifton Byrd
• Records of the University System of Maryland President's Office
• Records of the Board of Regents
• Personal papers of Adele Stamp
• Personal papers of Geary Eppley
• Records of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
• joe blair Collection
• Records of the Office of Institutional Advancement
• Leland Scott Collection
• Publications and Photographs Collections of the University Archives

Biography of Harry Clifton Byrd | About the Exhibit | Highlights from the opening event