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| Dr. David Ware |
LITTLE ROCK — Stacy Hurst, secretary of the
Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (ADPHT), recently named Dr.
David Ware as state historian and director of the Arkansas State Archives!
“Dr. Ware is very familiar with Arkansas
history, particularly its political history,” said Mr. Jimmy Bryant, the newly
named director of the Division of Arkansas Heritage and former Arkansas History
Commission member. “We are lucky to have his talents.”
Ware has served since 2001 as the capitol
historian in the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office. He will begin work as
the Arkansas State Archives director on Jan. 21.
Ware earned a B.A. in French literature from
the University of Nebraska, an M.A in history from the University of Wyoming
and a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Arizona State University. Prior to his service
as the state capitol historian, he was an archives assistant at the University
of Arkansas, Little Rock; project historian at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West
Museum in Wyoming; and curator of exhibits and collections at Western Heritage
Center in Billings, Mont. He has written articles and reviews for
publications such as the “Journal of Arizona History”
and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. His work includes the book, “It’s
Official! The Real Stories Behind Arkansas’s State Symbols,” which was
published by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in 2015.
He has represented the Secretary of State on
the board of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas since 2001 and is a
board member of the Arkansas Supreme Court Historical Society. Other
memberships include the Arkansas Historical Association, the Arkansas Museums
Association and the Society of Southwest Archivists.
While serving as the capitol historian, Ware
collaborated on numerous projects with the Arkansas State Archives to preserve
state records and exhibit the collections of the Arkansas State Archives at the
State Capitol. He has a great knowledge many facets of Arkansas history and the
preservation of archival and artifact collections.
“Dr. Ware’s educational background and his
tenure with state government make him well-suited to lead the Archives,” said
Hurst. “As state capitol historian, he has already worked with many of the ASA
staff, and that collaboration will continue in full as they work together to
preserve our important historical records.”
Dr. Ware replaces former Director Dr. Wendy Richter who
retired in August.
