Anita Lee Blair

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

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

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

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]

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References
  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
  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
  21. Anita Lee Blair, Texas State Cemetery.
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