OF SOUTHERN POLITICS and SOCIETY
The
Diane
D. Blair Center
OF
SOUTHERN POLITICS and SOCIETY
DIANE D. BLAIR
(1938-2000)
Diane Blair was fittingly recognized by the University
of Arkansas with an honorary doctorate in May, 2000, after more than thirty years of
involvement with the institution, first as an earnest graduate student, then
much longer as a stellar teacher, and always, even after retirement, as an
untiring friend. During that time she also emerged as a professional political
scientist of considerable repute and a strong activist in the public arena. All
the while, she maintained a busy and cherished family and social life.
Diane Divers Blair was born
In 1963, she moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, as the wife of local attorney Hugh Kincaid. Thus began what was to become a
lifelong commitment, a virtual love affair, with her new home state. Diane
quickly settled in, becoming active in numerous civic and political
organizations. She also undertook the master’s degree program in the newly
constituted Department of Political Science at the University
of Arkansas, which had only recently been divested from the Department of History. She
completed the M. A. program in 1967.
Diane became a part-time lecturer with the University in the following year.
No one recalls for a certainty, and the formal records are vague, as to when she
became a tenure-track instructor. Nonetheless, she was promoted to assistant
professor in 1979.
By that time, Diane had published articles in two notable professional
journals and had received the accolade of Outstanding Faculty Member in the 1976
and 1978 issues of the Razorback, the University’s student yearbook. In
ensuing years she added very, very substantially to this early record of
productivity as a university faculty member.
Diane was responsible for two books. The first was the edited volume, Silent
Hattie Speaks, The Personal Journal of Senator Hattie Caraway (1979). For this
book she wrote a very long introduction that provided a strong setting for the
Senator’s reflections as well as evaluated the significance of that journey
through a distinctive public career. Diane authored the second volume as
definitely a labor of love, this Arkansas Politics and Government: Do the People
Rule? (1988). The book was among the earliest volumes in the series on
individual states that the late Daniel J. Elazar established and edited for the
Diane’s other publications included a considerable range of essays that she
authored or co-authored for a wide array of publication outlets. These works,
focusing especially upon
As a professional, however, Diane’s first commitment was to teaching. She
continued to receive strongly positive reviews from students throughout her
tenure at the University. She was a recipient of the J. William Fulbright
College of Arts and Sciences Master Teacher Award in 1982. Diane was faculty
advisor to four student organizations at one time or another and an invited
speaker at countless student functions. She also carried on a very extensive
correspondence with former students.
While Diane came to the University endowed already with a strong commitment
to public service, its requirement as a land-grant institution to provide such
service along with research and teaching suited her very well. And she provided
strong support to all three of the agencies toward which that service has
traditionally been directed: the University itself, the profession, and the
community (broadly defined as all levels of governing).
Space will not be devoted here to her sundry activities directly in support
of the University except for two brief observations. To begin, Diane was
involved from the Department of Political Science through
Diane’s service performance with professional associations was indeed a
demanding effort. She was President of the Women’s Caucus for Political
Science associated with the Southern Political Science Association, 1988-1989.
At one time or another she served on the executive council of five different
associations, as chair or member of six committees for three associations, as a
member of editorial boards for two journals, and as a section head for the
annual meeting on one occasion for each of three associations. She was Recording
Secretary for the Southern Political Science Association (1985-1986) and the
Community service with government agencies for Diane covered a variety of
policy areas and occurred at the local, state, and national levels. She
responded to needs presented to her, not just policy areas of substantive
interest to her. For example, she served on the Board of the Washington County
Emergency Medical Services from 1980 to 1982.
In 1971, Diane was appointed by Governor Dale Bumpers to chair the
Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women, and in 1976, Governor David
Pryor selected her to chair a Commission on Public Employee Rights. She enjoyed
a very singular experience on Valentine’s Day, 1975, when she took the
“pro” position on the E. R. A. in a debate before the Arkansas Legislature;
the “con” position was taken by none other than Phyllis Schaffley, the
“darling” of archconservatives in American national politics at the time.
Diane’s service activities were significantly associated with Governor,
later President, Bill Clinton. He first appointed her to the Commission for the
Arkansas Educational Television Network in 1980, a position she held until 1993.
She chaired the Commission in 1986 and 1987. Her connection to public television
was continued during the
Diane also worked in the
Diane’s marriage to the noted northwest
Diane Blair’s life was a full one that was often recognized publicly. In
1977, she received the Fayetteville Business and Professional Women’s Award
for “contributions to the City of
Diane’s book, Arkansas Politics and Government: Do the People Rule?, earned
the Virginia Ledbetter Award in 1991, for the best book published about
The thrill, unfortunately, was short-lived. Diane Blair died on
- Reflections by Bob Savage Department Chair 1988-1998
The Blair Center
of Southern Politics and Society
428 Old Main
Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
(479)-575-3356
Todd Shields, Director
tshield@uark.edu
