Providing Context: Fulbright's History Now Online, To Be Added Near Statue

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An overview of key events in former university president and U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright’s life and political career is now available online.

The new resource includes an overview of Fulbright’s political and civil rights record, links to educational resources and a summary of events that led the university to this point. 

“We recognize that J. William Fulbright’s record on civil rights issues does not align with the university’s core values, and that many have little awareness of this history,” Charles Robinson, interim chancellor, said. “Meanwhile, some are unaware of his actions to promote peace and international security, including through educational exchange and other laudable aspects of his record of service. These conditions provide an opportunity for us to embrace our mission of teaching and learning, to engage the fuller history of J. William Fulbright and to use the experience to continue our work to build a better campus and world.”

The overview will also be displayed on campus near the Fulbright statue as requested by the U of A System Board of Trustees in a resolution earlier this year. Installation is expected in 2022. 

Until then, temporary signage with a link to the digital version of the overview content will be placed near the statue.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.