Moon Township, Pa. – We have his name. And now we have his head.

Last year, Robert Morris University (RMU) acquired the plaster bust that was used by sculptor Paul Wayland Bartlett to create the statue of American founding father Robert Morris, which stands in Philadelphia’s Independence Mall. The bust was given to RMU in 2007 by the Tudor House Gallery and Museum in Washington, D.C.

RMU will formally unveil the bust at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, during the dedication and open house for the University’s new Heritage Room, located on the third floor of Nicholson Center at RMU’s Moon Township campus. The entire campus community – students, faculty and staff -- are invited.

The event is a highlight of RMU’s celebration of Constitution Week, which runs from Sept. 15–19 and is sponsored by the Office of Student Civic Engagment. Other events that week include:

• A voter registration drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. all week outside the Heritage Room. Free pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution will be given away. • An opportunity to sign the Constitution, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, outside the Heritage Room, and from 5 to 5:45 p.m. in the Food Court • A Constitution Day debate from 5 to 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the Food Court. Free pocket copies of the Constitution will be available.

In addition to the bust of Robert Morris, the Heritage Room features three framed original documents that Morris signed. The Heritage Room was conceived by RMU President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, who felt it would be a great way to honor the University’s namesake.

“Robert Morris University has long been known as place where students can get a superior education in business and finance. The sound financial principles and strategies that Robert Morris depended upon in his support of the American cause during the Revolution were the inspiration for our University’s name,” said Dell’Omo.

“When we received this unique gift from the Tudor House Gallery, we wanted to display it in a way that would pay tribute to Robert Morris the individual. The new Heritage Room accomplishes this goal,” said Dell’Omo.

Robert Morris was born in Lancashire, England, on Jan. 31, 1734 (some sources list his birthday as Jan. 20). In 1748, he emigrated to America to join his father, a tobacco exporter at Oxford, Md. In 1754, he and business partner Thomas Willing founded Willing, Morris & Company, an import/export firm.

Like most of the colonists, Morris was strongly opposed to the controversial Stamp Act, which put a tax on every piece of printed paper including ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers and even playing cards. As a result, he quickly became involved in supporting the Revolution. He was particularly influential in obtaining munitions and other supplies as well as borrowing money to finance George Washington’s army.

From 1775 to 1778, Morris served as a member of the Continental Congress, which contracted his company to import arms and ammunition for the Continental Army. Using his extensive international trading network as a spy network, he gathered valuable intelligence on British troop movements. He also served on the Marine and Maritime Committees and sold his best ship, The Black Prince, to the Continental Congress. Renamed The Alfred, it became the first ship in the Continental Navy.

In 1782, as superintendent of finance, Morris created the Bank of North America – the first financial institution chartered by the United States, which helped to establish the country’ s credit with the nations of Europe. He also loaned the Continental Army large sums of his own money. Morris served in the United States Senate from 1789 to 1795. He died in 1806.

“The Heritage Room connects us to Robert Morris as an exemplar of the tradition of American entrepreneurship and business success as well as of the commitment of those with resources to give back to causes and institutions they believe in,” said RMU Provost David L. Jamison. “It gives the campus a focal point for education of our students and the community about the American Revolution, about philanthropy, and, because of the unique nature of the sculptural piece, even of the fine arts. The Heritage Room is one more way in which we are engaging our campus in learning.”