Happy Birthday West Virginia - Books by Eric Douglas

Goodness knows, I don’t agree with everything that happens in West Virginia. I’m often frustrated, annoyed or left shaking my head at the things our “leaders” say and do.

On June 20, 1863 in the middle of the Civil War and the strife and turmoil that came with it, West Virginia became a state. Sometimes it feels like we have been fighting ever since. We fight the stereotypes of Appalachia and poverty and we fight against people that forget we’re even a state. We even fight with each other from time to time.

From an interesting article on the West Virginia Culture and History website about West Virginia statehood I learned that the movement to separate actually goes back quite a bit further than I realized. West Virginians were making noises about independence from East Virginia more than 30 years before it actually happened. I can just imagine what those days were like and I’m sure some West Virginians questioned what their leaders were attempting to do back then, too. They probably shook their heads too.

Tomorrow, June 20, is West Virginia’s 150^thbirthday. The term for the 150^th anniversary of an event is a Sesquicentennial. I notice this word is mostly (but not totally) absent from event promotions…probably because no one can pronounce it. I was at Marshall University in 1987 during the school’s Sesquicentennial and the word has been stuck in my brain ever since.

I’ve never tried to hide my roots. I’ve always been proud to say I’m from West Virginia, no matter where I’ve been. With my accent, it would be pretty foolish to even try, of course, but the thought never crossed my mind. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, making stops in Europe, South America and Africa. You would be surprised how many people from outside the United States know exactly where West Virginia is and know of it as a green, beautiful rugged state.

My hope is my fellow West Virginians spend the next few days celebrating our Sesquicentennial and refreshing our own appreciation for what the Mountain State has to offer. We take a lot of things here for granted, but in spite of our problems I still think of it as a great place to raise children, to enjoy nature and to have a quality of life that isn’t available elsewhere. A lot is made about the natural resources in West Virginia, but the most important natural resources I see are the fresh air, the green hills and the people.

Happy Birthday!.