September Speakers at MPL

September 25 @ 10:30 AM

Frank X. Walker, the 2013 Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence at Shepherd University, will visit the Martinsburg Public Library on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 10:30 AM. The scheduled poetry reading and reception are free and open to the public.

Walker was born in Danville, Kentucky. He received degrees from the University of Kentucky and Spaulding University. In 2005, Walker received a Lannon Fellowship for Poetry which allowed him to concentrate on his writing and other creative projects.

Some of Walker's poetic works include Buffalo Dance, the Journey of York (2004) and When Winter Come, the Ascension of York (2008). Both works portray the story of the African-American explorer who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their famous 1803 expedition. Affrilachia (2000), a ground-breaking book, added a new word to the English language in an effort to make Appalachian literary studies more inclusive of all races and identities. Affrilachia is the 2013 One Book, One West Virginia Read, selected by the WV Center for the Book.

September 26 @ 7:00 PM 

Dr. Ray Smock, director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd University will present How I Became Ben Franklin: The Making of Signers Hall at the National Constitution Center on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 7:00 PM. This program is free and open to the public.

He will introduce the audience to the National Constitution Center, the first museum dedicated to telling the story of the Constitution. He takes the audience behind the scenes to show how, with the help of 42 life-sized bronze statues, the moment (in Signers Hall when the last Signer has finished signing the Constitution) was created.

During his talk the audience will learn personal information about some of the Signers, as well as an explanation of the major achievement of creating a new Constitution.