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

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

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Chicano Power! A Force for Change & Progress in El Paso

This exhibition focuses on the rise of the Chicano Civil Rights ...

Proclamation Honoring Judge Alvarez

After serving our community for nearly 30 years as Judge of ...

Judges Sue Kurita and Javier Alvarez

After serving our community for nearly 30 years as Judge of ...

Judges Marlene Gonzalez and Javier Alvarez

After serving our community for nearly 30 years as Judge of ...

Judge Javier Alvarez and Judge-Elect Melissa Baeza

After serving our community for nearly 30 years as Judge of ...

Proclamation Honoring Judge Javier Alvarez

After serving our community for nearly 30 years as Judge of ...

The HolguinCAD Champion

Dr. An Wang 1920-2000: Dr. An Wang was Founder and CEO of Wang ...

Pioneer of the Desktop CAD System

In 1973, Holguin Corporation of El Paso TX announces HolguinCAD, ...

The Maestro of El Paso

Maestro Abraham Chavez, Jr. (1927 - 2000). "Maestro Chavez is ...

On Top of the World

Blessed 4th day of April 2022: Hector and Rosario celebrate ...

Trinidad Holguin and Sons

In 1940, Trinidad Holguin visits his sons at the Watkins Motor ...

Women's History Month, Eva Antone Ross, El Paso, TX 1995

Women's History Month, Eva Antone Ross, El Paso, TX 1995

home.search_collection