Elbert M. "Bert" Byrd, Jr. was born in 1923 in southwest Virginia. At 16, he joined the army, attained the rank of First Sergeant at 18, and received a battlefield commission at 19. Most of Byrd's military experience was in intelligence, including service abroad with the diplomatic corps. His intelligence work was supplemented by Continual progress in his own educational endeavors, resulting in his entering college as a junior upon leaving the military service in 1951. He received his B.S., M.A. and Ph. D. degrees from the American University, and did graduate work at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where he also taught political science. In 1957, he became a member of the Government and Politics Department at the University of Maryland.
Dr. Byrd spent most of his adult life in observing, participating in, and studying government. He is the author of a constitutional study, Treaties and Executive Agreements in the United States and of the Judicial Process in Maryland, in addition to writing to several articles, reviews and feature stories. Byrd has held offices in the Young Democratic Club of Prince George's County, has served as delegate and platform committee chairman at State conventions of the Young Democratic Club of Maryland, and as treasurer of the latter organization.
From the guide to the Elbert Byrd papers, 1961-1966, 1961-1966, (University of Maryland)
