Lindsley Armstrong Smith and Stephen A. Smith Publish New Book on Arkansas Women Legislators

The book cover of "Stateswomen"

The University of Arkansas Press is pleased to announce the publication of Stateswomen: A Centennial History of Arkansas Women Legislators, 1922-2022 by Lindsley Armstrong Smith and Stephen A. Smith.

The authors will present the book at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock on Nov. 15, and at the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History on Dec. 6.

Celebrating the centenary of women legislators' membership in the Arkansas General Assembly, Stateswomen shines a light on the women who have served as some of the state's central decision makers. Drawing on documentary research and oral histories, the authors present lively, concise biographies for the nearly 150 women legislators who have served in the general assembly to date, chronicling their personal histories, volunteer work and social activism, and legislative victories. In a probing introduction, the authors examine the neglected role of women in Arkansas political history alongside the "long history of resistance to full citizenship rights for women in Arkansas" — demonstrating that political representation is essential for improving opportunities in the wider society.

The first comprehensive study dedicated to these trailblazing Arkansas legislators, Stateswomen will surely inspire history buffs, community-minded citizens, and political hopefuls alike.

"A handful of political scientists leveraged the uptick in women legislators in the late twentieth century to explore if, and how, a 'lady lawmaker' might be different from the traditional sort," writes Janine A. Parry, University Professor of political science, in the foreword. "And a few enterprising historians have introduced us to the very earliest trailblazers in our respective states. But detailed, comprehensive accounts of which women make it into these overwhelmingly masculine spaces, and what they do when they get there, have been too heavy a lift. Enter Lindsley and Stephen Smith's Stateswomen. A monumental contribution in several respects, its most obvious significance lies in the lively, attentive treatments afforded each lawmaker."

Lindsley Armstrong Smith earned a J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law and served as a research assistant professor of communication at the university. From 2005 to 2010, she was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

Stephen A. Smith is professor emeritus of communication at the University of Arkansas. He was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1971 to 1974, chief of staff to the Arkansas attorney general, and executive assistant to Gov. Bill Clinton. He is the author or editor of nine books on topics ranging from communication technologies to the First Amendment.

This project was supported by the University of Arkansas Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society.