Anita Lee Blair & guide dog Fawn, El Paso, TX
Anita Blair con su Perro Guía Fawn

Anita Lee Blair & guide dog Fawn, El Paso, TX

Anita Blair was a state representative and community activist, who died in 2010 with 93 years of age. Blair became the first El Paso woman elected as a state representative, in 1952. She was also the first blind woman to serve in an elected position in the state of Texas. During her term in office, Blair found money to remodel the State School for the Deaf. She also fought for teacher pay raises and supported a bill that allowed women to serve on juries. In her later years, Blair became a pioneer for the disabled and was active in the community. Due to an accident Blair lost her sight with 19, but with her guide dog Fawn, she adjusted quickly to the darkness. Blair attended the University of Texas at El Paso, then known as the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy. She graduated in 1944 with a master's degree in social sciences. The portrait was taken by Samuel Fant, it probably dates from the 1940s. Anita Blair is buried in Texas State Cemetery.

Area: Central / Downtown

Collection: Samuel Fant Collection

Source: University of Texas at El Paso Library - Special Collections Department

Reference ID: PH058-Blair, Anita 02

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

March is Women's History Month.

cool photo, cooler lady!

According to commemorative calendar from C. L. Sonnichsen Special Collections Dept. UTEP Library--Anita Blair (1916-2010) became the first El Pasoan to have a service animal in 1940. With Fawn's help, Blair escaped a fire at the La Salle Hotel in Chicago. A safety and accident prevention activist, Anita Blair was the first blind woman elected to a state legislature in the United States.

proud woman:

this is awesome

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

Little Caples Building

Little Caples Building in downtown El Paso, Texas. Located at ...

City Hall circa 1915, El Paso, Texas

Intersection of Myrtle & San Antonio Streets between 1910-1920. ...

Street Scene-Automobile Row

This section of North Kansas Street was known as "Automobile ...

Abdou Building

Henry Trost designed this seven-story reinforced concrete ...

Church and County Courthouse in 1890s

This picture, dating back to the 1890s, shows the County ...

Bird's Eye View of El Paso from Mesa Garden

The picture captures El Paso between 1890 and 1900. It was taken ...

The Popular Dry Good Company

The Popular department store chain, founded by Adolph Schwartz, ...

Lawmen On Horseback

Lawmen on horseback in downtown El Paso, Texas.

Street Car Downtown

A street car travels between the Grand Hotel and the El Paso ...

Local Bar In El Paso, Texas

A local bar in El Paso, Texas between 1910 - 1920.

Otis A. Aultman

Otis A. Aultman playing cards with friends, he is to the far ...

Downtown El Paso

Image of downtown El Paso between 1910-1920. City Hall to the ...

El Paso Preachers

This group of Protestant ministers includes Dr. Poe of the ...

Chamber of Commerce Anniversary Luncheon

These are the past and present directors of the El Paso Chamber ...

Southwest University Park

Southwest University Park is a stadium in El Paso, Texas. It is ...

White House Department Store

The popularity of the White House exceeded the size of its ...

Southwest University Park

Southwest University Park is a stadium in El Paso, Texas. It is ...

East San Antonio Avenue

This sign marks the corner of East San Antonio Avenue and South ...

Architecture

A once beautiful building in downtown El Paso, TX.

Lamppost

Downtown El Paso is dotted with revival styles from the turn of ...

N. Mesa Street Downtown El Paso, Texas

Image of N. Mesa Street with sign and lamp post in downtown El ...

Kress Sign

This sign marks the location of Kress & Co. Department store at ...

Betty Moor MacGuire Hall - El Paso Texas

Photograph of the Betty Moor MacGuire Hall. The picture features ...

home.search_collection