Robert C. Byrd was one of the greatest politicians this nation, let alone West Virginia, has ever seen. I am fascinated by his work, what he did and how he died. He was born in North Carolina, Wilkesboro and was born on November 20, 1917. He was born as Cornelius Calvin Sale Jr. His mother was happy as could be, but about a year later she died in the influenza epidemic that was taking over the nation at that moment. Before he died he wished that Byrd would go to live with his relatives Vlurma and Titus who were their cousins. So he was sent to his relatives who renamed him Robert Carlyle Byrd since they were adopting him. Byrd was a model student and a hard worker. He went to Sunday school and learned to play the violin which he always kept with him. He eventually went to Mark Twain High School where he graduated with honors and won valedictorian. He didn't take part in World War II, so he did odd jobs to raise money to go to college. Unfortunately Byrd didn't get any money, so he joined the Ku Klux Klan. He joined thinking it was a money-making organization and said that during his time there they had not committed any murders that he was aware of. Byrd later described it as “one of the biggest mistakes of my life.” He eventually left because he wanted to get back into politics, so he left the Klan and went back to politics. Ironically, his membership in the KKK helped push him into politics. He was encouraged by the Grand Dragon, the leader of the KKK. “He ran for WV on the Democratic ticket for the House of Delegates. While he was away he took his violin with him everywhere (this would later get him noticed). He won in 1944 and would never lose another election from then on. see that day because he died on March 25, 2006 due to "a long illness". Byrd said of his wife's death, "My only regret is that my beloved wife, companion and confidant, my dear Erma, is not here with me," he said. “I know he is looking down from heaven, smiling at me and saying, 'Congratulations my dear Robert, but don't let it go to your head.'” Byrd died on “June 18, 2010, at the age of 92.” ."In his lifetime he: "was the highest ranking Senator in the majority party, known as President as Pro Tempore, served as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees, and he had cast more than 18,689 roll-call votes, more than any other senator. It also has an attendance record of 97% over 50 years!”