Byrd, Harry F.

Byrd, Harry F. (Flood)

(1887–1966) U.S. senator; born at Martinsburg, W.Va. As governor of Virginia (1926–30), he established a relatively progressive record, passing the first antilynching law in the South in 1928. He promoted rural electrification while eliminating Virginia's budget deficit. He went on to serve in the U.S. Senate (Dem., Va.; 1933–65). Although initially a Roosevelt supporter, he opposed many New Deal measures in the name of reduced government spending and emerged as a leading southern conservative, often siding with Republicans. After World War II he opposed foreign aid measures abroad and civil rights at home.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.