Schedule and Hosting Information

BORN OF REBELLION - West Virginia Statehood is a traveling exhibit about the creation of the state of West Virginia. The story of our statehood is unique in American history.

Some felt that West Virginia had seceded from Virginia because Virginia had seceded from the United States. The Civil War was raging. The constitutionality of the Mountain State was debated in President Lincoln's cabinet and the Congress. It was questioned whether the new state would be dissolved once Virginia was restored to the Union. It was necessary for the US Supreme Court to ultimately decide the final state boundary. From this turbulent beginning the Mountain State emerged as the 35th state in the Union.

Born of Rebellion is an exhibit with informational text, photos, maps, and various images presented on lightweight collapsible display frames. Click here to take a visual tour of the exhibit. It is organized into four informational areas:

I - Divergence, sectional differences between western and eastern Virginia;
II - The Civil War, the war's impact on the creation of the state;
III - The Birth of West Virginia, the process of becoming a state;
IV - Statehood, our final boundary and the question of whether or not the formation of the state was constitutional.

Viewers of the exhibit also have the opportunity to cast their own vote on the constitutionality of the state. Host venues can then tally the votes at the end of the display period and the results will be posted on the Council web site.

Born of Rebellion on display at the International Mother's Day Shrine museum in Grafton.

Organizations interested to display Born of Rebellion should:

1. Have appropriate display space.
2. Have display dates in mind.
3. Contact the Program Officer about availability of the exhibit in advance.
4. Complete and submit loan agreement form.
5. Receive written confirmation from the Program Officer that the exhibit will
be loaned for the requested dates.

About the exhibit:

Born of Rebellion is designed so that three panels, each 8 ft. tall by 7 ft. wide, are connected to form a large triangle around which viewers can walk. This means the display space must have a ceiling at least 8 ft. 4 inches high. There are two additional free standing triangular kiosks, one 8 ft. tall with 2 ft. sides, and the other 6 ft. tall with 2 ft. sides.

There are no special environmental controls needed for the exhibit except that it should only be displayed in appropriately heated or cooled areas and not in areas where it is subject to extreme temperatures and/or humidity. There are three crates each sized 16" x 30" x 50" plus two containers for the graphics. You will need to store the exhibit crates in a dry and secure area for the duration of the exhibit.

* Born of Rebellion is generally reserved on a first come, first served basis for a period of three weeks. Other display periods might be possible on a case-by-case basis. The Humanities Council reserves the right to display the exhibit for special events as may be determined.

Security

Security is not necessary for the exhibit. We do ask, however, that it be set up in an area that can be monitored by staff or volunteers. When you have tour or school groups in your facility we ask that there be someone with the exhibit or within sight of it to provide visibility and a sense of safety and security. Such a presence can deter "horseplay", exhibit panels being accidentally jostled or knocked over, "stuffing" of the ballot slot with ballot cards or intentional damage to the display.

Set Up and Maintenance

BOR requires two people and approximately one hour to assemble while working at a comfortable pace. Detailed assembly instructions with photographs are included in the crates. Set up requires person A be able to use a step stool and place the graphics on the panel, lining up the graphics seams from the top to the bottom. Person B needs to assist by keeping the bottom of the graphics from sticking to the velcro while person A is lining up the seams down the panel. Disassembling BOR takes two people approximately one half hour.

You should look over each panel of the exhibit every morning and at the end of the day for damage, signs of wear, inventory of voting cards and brochures, or needs to realign the graphics, etc. If you notice damage contact the Program Officer immediately. Do not attempt to repair any damage.

If you have more than two people you can work in teams and finish quicker. But we recommend for safety and to minimize wear and tear on the exhibit that you take your time with set up. Taking your time ensures the exhibit will be set up properly, safely and look its best for your audience. Taking care during disassembly will assure the exhibit is in good condition for the people at the next display site. Those involved in assembling or disassembling should wash their hands before handling the graphics to minimize wear on the panels.

The exhibit on display at Hardees of Princeton.

Supplemental Materials

Each site receives a quantity of 250 informational brochures for visitors to take with them. You may photocopy the brochure if necessary. Each site also receives 250 Yea voting cards and 250 Nay voting cards for exhibit goers to cast a vote once they have reviewed the information. It is the responsibility of the host site to keep a running vote tally and to recycle the voting cards as necessary to accommodate their visitors. The final vote tally is then included in the Closing Report to the Council and will be posted on the Council web site. Each venue will also receive a press release for use in publicizing the exhibit.

Reporting Requirements

Each venue is required to fill out a Condition Report form about the condition of the exhibit when it arrives at your site and when it leaves your site. You will also complete a short Closing Report that provides information to the Council on attendance, programs and activities, audience, final voting tally, and impact of the exhibit while at your site.