CHARLESTON W.Va. (Hinton News) – West Virginia Archives and History recently announced the list of individuals who will be recognized as West Virginia History Heroes during a West Virginia History Day at the Legislature program and ceremony to be held at the Culture Center on the Capitol Complex in Charleston on Wednesday, Feb. 21. One Summers County local, Robert “Cotty” Farley, made the list.
Robert “Cotty” Farley conceived of and developed a project called “Inspiration Hall” designed to motivate students to make their mark on history. Housed at the Summers County Comprehensive High School cafeteria, the Inspiration Hall gallery uses photos and memorabilia to showcase outstanding county residents, both living and dead, who made an impact at the national level. Farley spent hours researching famous people from Summers County in all fields for recognition in an annual ceremony at the high school.
West Virginia History Heroes are nominated by historical, genealogical, preservation, museum, patriotic or like organizations from across the state. The purpose of this annual award is to give state-level recognition to individuals chosen for dedicated service on behalf of an organization’s programs or for a recent significant contribution to state and local history through research, interpretation, publication, or preservation. The West Virginia History Hero Award is a one-time-only recognition.
The 2024 History Hero Awards program is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. in the State Theater at the Culture Center and will conclude before 11 a.m. Honorees’ local legislators have been invited to participate in the ceremony at the Culture Center, time and legislative session permitting. During this time, photographs will be taken, copies of which can be obtained by visiting https://wwwculture.zomfolio.com/p737259101 after Feb. 21.
West Virginia History Day at the Legislature was begun by the West Virginia Archives and History Commission in 1997 and is officially designated by the commission as a special day to recognize the state’s rich and varied history. This annual event, during which groups from around the state provide history displays in the capitol, is now in its twenty-eighth year. This year, nearly three dozen groups have registered to have displays in the upper rotunda of the capitol.
In addition to the Archives and History Commission, co-sponsors of West Virginia History Day are the Mining Your History Foundation, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, Inc., West Virginia Association of Museums, West Virginia Department of Aru, Culture and History, West Virginia Historical Society, and West Virginia Humanities Council.
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