John C. Davis, executive director of the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History and teaching associate professor of political science, has been named to the Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 Class of 2025. The Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 list honors outstanding professionals under the age of 40 from across a wide range of industries. Davis is recognized for his impactful career in higher education and public service. 

For those familiar with Davis' work, this recognition comes as no surprise. From his recent book, From Red to Blue: The Rise of the GOP in Arkansas, to his numerous other publications, Davis has consistently demonstrated excellence in the field of political science. An academic with a passion for public scholarship, in addition to traditional scholarly work, he has contributed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Ozarks at Large, Arkansas Advocate and many other media outlets. His teaching and academic research interests primarily focus on Arkansas state politics, Southern politics, political parties and civic engagement.  

In addition to his academic work, Davis has been active in public service. He served on several municipal boards and commissions and was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission, where he served from 2018 to 2022 and co-chaired the commission. A devoted advocate for enhanced civic engagement and civic education in Arkansas, Davis chairs the advisory board of the Arkansas Collegiate Civic Leadership Academy, a Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Civic Arkansas initiative. The academy will welcome its inaugural class in the fall and connect student leaders from Arkansas colleges and universities with opportunities in public service in their communities. 

Davis' interests of public service and the study of Arkansas are joined in his apt leadership of the Pryor Center. Reflecting on the Pryor Center's mission, he said, "Arkansans are natural storytellers. The Pryor Center's mission is to collect, preserve and share Arkansas stories." 

The Pryor Center collects and archives oral histories to make them accessible to the public. Its collections include hundreds of interviews from all walks of life in Arkansas—from figures of global prominence to notable local figures—as well as over 24,000 hours of KATV Channel 7 news content spanning six decades.  

"In addition to our archives being valuable research resources for faculty, students and the broader public," Davis said, "the stories the Pryor Center collects remind us of our past and the common struggles, hopes and dreams that transcend generations of Arkansans." 

Named after U.S. Senator David Pryor and his wife, Barbara, the Pryor Center continues their legacy of public service and storytelling. Barbara Pryor praised Davis' leadership, saying, "Arkansas has a rich history of storytellers. As a young but published author and accomplished historian, John Davis understands the drama, humor and common sense of those stories as told by the Pryor Center in their own words. We are fortunate to have him as our leader." 

Davis earned a B.A. and M.A. in political science from the U of A and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. Prior to joining the U of A in January 2023, he served on the faculty at the University of Arkansas at Monticello from 2015 to 2022, where he also held the role of director of governmental relations. 

An eighth-generation Arkansan, Davis lives in Fayetteville with his wife, Ember; their son, John Lee; and daughter, Grace. 

Davis will be honored at the Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 Recognition Ceremony on June 10. More information can be found here.

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Story by Isabella Sotlar, Fulbright College comunications and creative services intern.