This collection is made up of 5 letters that Richard E. Byrd wrote to James B. Pond about his lecture tours in 1928 and 1931, as well as 1 letter that Byrd wrote to John Shuttleworth about speaking engagements related to World War II. In his first letter to Pond, he discussed the comparative appeal of his lectures about his successful transatlantic flight and his upcoming Antarctic expedition. In 1931, Byrd complained to Pond about low turnout, low-quality film equipment, and faulty loudspeakers at his lectures throughout the South. He blamed a lack of ticket-selling campaigns, rather than economic conditions, for the poor attendance and he expressed dissatisfaction with his contract and financial compensation.
Writing to John Shuttleworth in 1941, Byrd discussed his speaking engagements related to World War II, mentioning the perceived threat of a Nazi invasion of the United States and his speeches addressed to France. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.
Richard Evelyn Byrd was born in Winchester, Virginia, on October 25, 1888, the son of Richard Evelyn Byrd, Sr., and Eleanor Bolling Flood. Byrd attended several military schools and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1921. He served on several ships before becoming a naval aviator in 1918 and was an early proponent of transatlantic air travel. Accompanied by Floyd Bennett, Byrd attempted to fly over the North Pole in May 1926. Though their claim of success is disputed, Byrd received a Medal of Honor and several other awards for the accomplishment. Byrd followed his controversial North Pole expedition with a nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927 and a successful flight over the South Pole in 1928. He returned to the Antarctic in 1934, becoming commander of the United States Antarctic Service in 1939, and served in both major theaters of World War II; he returned to an Antarctic command after the war. He died on March 11, 1957. Richard E. Byrd and his wife, Marie Donaldson Ames, had four children.
