UA opens Bumpers documents to public

Letters, photographs and even some fancy white-andred patent leather shoes once the envy of Bill Clinton can be found in the newly opened archive of former Arkansas Gov. and U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers.

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville officials formally made available to the public some 1,200 boxes of documents and other items at an on-campus ceremony Wednesday in Mullins Library.

Bumpers, 88, served in the Senate for 24 years after winning election in 1974. At the time, he was coming off a term as the state’s governor. The archive does not include Bumpers’ gubernatorial papers, held at the University of Arkansas at LittleRock Center for Arkansas History and Culture.

The vast trove of material opened Wednesday includes family genealogical records from the 19th century and a photo of a young Bumpers taken while he was in high school.

Timothy Nutt, head of special collections for UA Libraries, said Bumpers served during “a pivotal time” in the nation.

The donated materials arrived mostly in 2000 and had to be hauled to Fayetteville by a tractor-trailer.

Historical highlights include documents relating to environmental legislation and what was known as the Strategic Defense Initiative or “Star Wars” space-based anti-missile system, Nutt said.The “Star Wars” effort came at a time of still-heightened worries of a nuclear attack during the tail end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

At the ceremony, former Gov. and U.S. Sen. David Pryor spoke about Bumpers’ legacy, including a speech Bumpers made just weeks after leaving the Senate in 1999 in response to impeachment efforts against Clinton, president at the time and another former Arkansas governor.

“His colleagues called him back to make the case, the final argument,” Pryor said, recalling how he was so moved by Bumpers’ words that he called him to say it was perhaps the finest speech ever given on the Senate floor.

“He responded, typical Bumpers fashion, ‘I’m inclined to agree with you,’” Pryor said to laughter in theroom. The Senate voted to acquit Clinton on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

Pryor, who said he spoke with Bumpers this week, described him as his best friend, confidant and mentor. He also praised Bumpers as “the conscience of the United States Senate.”

“In his long public career, which began in Charleston in the early 1950s, not once - not once - was there ever a whisper of political expediency, compromise of principal or taint of any wrongdoing or scandal of any nature,” Pryor said.

Bumpers’ nephew Archie Schaffer III accepted a gift from the university at the ceremony - a thick, hardcover tome listing contents of the collection.

Schaffer, who once served as chief of staff for Bumpers, read a letter from Bumpers thanking the university for organizing the event.

“I have fond memories of my years in the Senate. It was a pleasure to serve with some of the best and brightest people in our country, including my best friend and long-time colleague, David Pryor. I learned a great deal from each of them, and I hope this collection reflects that,” the letter stated.

Nutt also spoke at the ceremony, showing off a pair of new-looking white-and-redshoes featuring small Razorback logos near the heels.

“While organizing this collection, we came across a letter from President Bill Clinton to Sen. Bumpers. In 1997, Clinton wrote, ‘I can well recall cooling my heels in your office waiting hours on end to heed the wise senior senator’s always honest and often blunt counsel. I’m still upset about your not selling me those wonderful red and white patent leather Razorback shoes I tried on in your reception area,’” Nutt said.

“We hope that researchers, and, yes, even reporters, going through this collection can make connections like this.”