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Anita Lee Blair

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Anita Lee Blair (September 8, 1916 – August 25, 2010) was an American politician and activist from Texas. She was the first blind woman elected to any state legislature in the United States.[1]

Early life and education

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Anita Lee Blair was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and raised in El Paso, Texas. She graduated from Austin High School in that city, in 1933.[2] She became blind after a car accident at age 19, in Alamogordo, New Mexico. She earned a B. A. at Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy in 1944, and later completed a master's degree from Texas Women's College, in 1951.[3]

Career

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In 1940, Blair became the first person in El Paso to have a service dog, a German shepherd named Fawn. The pair became famous beyond Texas while lecturing on traffic safety and accident prevention.[4][5][6] In 1946, Blair and Fawn escaped the fatal La Salle Hotel fire in Chicago; their story highlighted the function of service dogs and was covered in newspapers across the country, and on local television stations in Chicago.[7][8][9][10] In 1950, Blair successfully protested when Fawn was not allowed into the United States Senate gallery with her to attend a debate.[11][12]

Blair was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1952, and served one term.[13][14] As a state representative, she worked for a pay increase for teachers, for the renovation of the state school for the deaf, and for the right of women to serve on juries.[15] She also co-authored a bill requiring jail sentences for drunk drivers. She lost her bid for re-election in 1954, and in three subsequent elections.[16][17]

In her later years, Blair was a fixture on local talk radio in El Paso, and at age 86 ran unsuccessfully for county judge.[18] In 2009, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement BRAVO Award from the League of Women Voters of El Paso.[19]

Personal life and legacy

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Blair married Curtis Reynolds Chartier in 1959, in Alamogordo, New Mexico.[20] Blair died in 2010, at age 93. In recognition of her service as a state legislator, her remains were buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Marissa Monroy, "Former State Rep., Political Watchdog Anita Blair Has Died," KVIA.com (July 15, 2012).
  2. ^ House Resolution No. 1539, House of Representatives, 81st Texas Legislature.
  3. ^ House Resolution No. 309, House of Representatives, 82nd Texas Legislature, adopted February 24, 2011.
  4. ^ "Safety Crusade is 'Personal' to Anita Blair, 25," Reading Eagle (January 25, 1948): 3.
  5. ^ "Blind Chicago Girl Thrilled by Award for her Safety Work," Chicago Daily Tribune (December 24, 1947): 3.
  6. ^ Genevieve Reynolds, "Traffic No Problem for Blind Girl," Washington Post (September 10, 1949): B4.
  7. ^ "Blind Girl Guided to Safety by Dog: Amid Hysteria of Others She Calmly Walks Fire Escape from Eleventh Floor," New York Times (June 6, 1946): 29.
  8. ^ Blind Woman, Dog that Saved Her, to Go on TV," Chicago Daily Tribune (June 29, 1952): 24.
  9. ^ "Dog Helps Blind Girl From Fire," Los Angeles Times (June 6, 1946): 8.
  10. ^ "Dog Hero of Fire and Girl She Saved Get Honor Scroll," Chicago Daily Tribune (June 8, 1946): 4.
  11. ^ "Blind Girl and her 'Seeing Eye' Win Right to 'Seat' in Senate," Washington Post (January 6, 1950): 12.
  12. ^ "Dog Hears Senate Howl; Blind Owner Sees to It," New York Times (January 6, 1950): 11.
  13. ^ Joseph R. M. Longo, "Sun City's First Woman State Legislator: Part One: Anita Blair, Election of 1952," NewsPaperTree (July 15, 2014). Archived January 9, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Blind Woman Wins Election in Texas, Despite Charge She Beat Seeing-Eye Dog," St. Petersburg Times (August 31, 1952): 3A.
  15. ^ Alex Hinojosa, "Former Legislator, Activist Anita Blair Dies," El Paso Times (August 26, 2010).
  16. ^ Nancy Baker Jones and Ruthe Winegarten, Capitol Women: Texas Women Legislators, 1923-1999 (University of Texas Press 2010): 130-132. ISBN 9780292788534
  17. ^ "Miss Anita Blair Seeks Re-election," El Paso Herald-Post (April 16, 1954): 1. via Newspapers.com Open access icon
  18. ^ Joseph R. M. Longo, "Sun City's First Woman State Legislator: Party Two: Anita Blair's Era in Office," NewsPaperTree (August 6, 2014).
  19. ^ League of Women Voters of El Paso, Bravo Award recipients.
  20. ^ "Blind Legislator Bride: Anita Blair Wed in Secret Here," Alamogordo Daily News (December 13, 1959): 1, 6. via Newspapers.com Open access icon
  21. ^ Anita Lee Blair, Texas State Cemetery.
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