A Guide to the Congressman Richard Poff Collection , 1954-1971 , #2013.10.17

Roanoke Public Libraries

Roanoke Public Libraries
706 South Jefferson Street
Roanoke, Virginia 24016 USA
Phone: (540) 853-2073
Email: virginiaroom@gmail.com
URL: http://www.roanokeva.gov/library

Processed by: Special Collections Staff

Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Congressman Richard Poff Collection, Accession #2013.10.17, Roanoke Public Libraries, Roanoke, VA

Acquisition Information

Donor unknown

Richard Harding Poff was born October 19, 1923 in Radford, Virginia the son of a railroad worker and part time barber. Poff attended public schools in Christiansburg, Virginia and was valedictorian of his graduating class. During World War II, Poff served as a bomber pilot with the Eighth Air Force in England. He flew thirty-five successful missions over Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Poff served from February 1943 to August 1945; becoming inactive from service as a first lieutenant. Poff completed his undergraduate work at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia and gained his LL.B. in 1948 from the University of Virginia’s School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia. Congressman Poff was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia’s 6th District. He held office from January 3, 1953 – August 29, 1972. Poff was nominated by President Richard Nixon to the United States Supreme Court, but withdrew before his nomination reached the Senate. He resigned from the House of Representatives in 1972 to join the Supreme Court of Virginia. He served as a Justice until his retirement in 1988 and continued to serve as a Senior Justice until 2002. Poff passed away on June 28, 2011 at the age of 87 in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The Richard H. Poff Federal Building in Roanoke, Virginia is named for Poff. It houses many of the primary federal offices in Southwestern Virginia, including the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia and the Internal Revenue Service.

Scope and Content

This collection contains Virginia’s 6th District US Congressman Richard H. Poff’s “Report from Washington” from 1954 through 1971. These are newsletters sent by the Congressman to his constituents on a routines basis providing them insight into governmental events happening in Washington, DC. There are several speeches, reports and newspaper clippings from or about the Congressman in the collection.

Contents List

Congressman Richard Poff Collection

Box 1

Folder 1
Report from Washington 18 April 1954-22 August 1954
Folder 2
Report from Washington 9 January 1955-23 September 1955
Folder 3
Report from Washington 8 January 1956-29 July 1956
Folder 4
Report from Washington 7 January 1957-3 September 1957
Folder 5
Report from Washington 13 January 1958-11 August 1958
Folder 6
Report from Washington 12 January 1959-7 September 1959
Folder 7
Report from Washington 11 January 1960-20 June 1960
Folder 8
Report from Washington 16 January 1961-12 December 1961
Folder 9
Report from Washington 15 January 1962-17 September 1962
Folder 10
Report from Washington 21 January 1963-29 November 1963
Folder 11
Report from Washington 13 January 1964-7 December 1964
Folder 12
Report from Washington 18 January 1965-29 December 1965
Folder 13
Report from Washington 24 January 1966-31 October 1966
Folder 14
Report from Washington 16 January 1967-18 December 1967
Folder 15
Report from Washington 12 February 1968-12 August 1968
Folder 16
Report from Washington 13 January 1969-15 December 1969
Folder 17
Report from Washington 5 February 1970-11 October 1970
Folder 18
Report from Washington 1 February 1971-25 June 1971
Folder 19
Miscellaneous - Speeches, reports and news clippings various dates