David Ware named State Historian, archives director
by December 22, 2019 10:28 am 2,119 views
Dr. David Ware was named Friday (Dec. 20) as state historian and director of the Arkansas State Archives (ASA), an agency of Arkansas Heritage, which is a division of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
Ware has served since 2001 as state capitol historian in the Office of the Secretary of State. He will begin work on Jan. 21 at a salary of $71,910.
“Dr. Ware’s educational background and his tenure with state government make him well-suited to lead the Archives,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “As state capitol historian, he has already worked with many of the ASA staff, and that collaboration will continue in full as they work together to preserve our important historical records.”
Ware earned a B.A. in French literature from the University of Nebraska, an M.A in history from the University of Wyoming and a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Arizona State University.
Prior to his service as the state capitol historian, he was an archives assistant at UA Little Rock; project historian at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Wyoming; and curator of exhibits and collections at Western Heritage Center in Billings, Mont.
He has written articles and reviews for publications such as the Journal of Arizona History and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas and has written It’s Official! The Real Stories behind Arkansas’s State Symbols, published by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies.
Ware has represented the Secretary of State on the board of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas since 2001 and is a board member of the Arkansas Supreme Court Historical Society. Other memberships include the Arkansas Historical Association, the Arkansas Museums Association and the Society of Southwest Archivists.
“Dr. Ware is very familiar with Arkansas history, particularly its political history,” said Mr. Jimmy Bryant, the newly-named director of the Division of Arkansas Heritage, who will begin work on Jan. 6. “We are lucky to have his talents.”