January 7, 1975

David Pryor was inaugurated Arkansas’s thirty-ninth governor. His tenure held tightly onto a theme of fiscal restraint and oversaw the establishment of several new governmental units, such as the Department of Natural and Cultural Heritage and the Department of Local Services. In 1978, he was elected a U.S. senator; he served three terms. While senator, Pryor served on the Committee on Aging and was known for his advocacy for the aged and for promoting taxpayers’ rights. In 2004, David Pryor was named the inaugural dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, staying in that position until 2006. In 2008, he published his autobiography, A Pryor Commitment, co-written by Don Harrell.