Randy Cabell asked who won in the discussions about greatst or most
important twentieth century Virginians. We all saw the same suggestions
and reasonings, and there was no clear preference for one or another,
although I think that Oliver W. Hill, whose name appeared very early in
the discussions, was mentioned as often as anybody, more often than
some.

The curious thing is that I began thinking about asking my original
question after two conversations in the autumn with historians, both of
whom asked whether anybody had a more lasting wholesome influence on
Virginia during the twentieth century than Hill. He's one of my heroes,
so it seemed like a good thing to inquire who other people thought were
of the most consequence.

NB: Randy: I didn't mean to suggest that Robert E. Lee shouldn't be
proposed for the greatest Virginian of the nineteenth century, only to
make the observation that for a great many Virginians his name would
naturally spring immediately to mind.

Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
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