Phyllis Louise Dillaha Brandon was born on July 31, 1935, in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.
Brandon earned a degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where she was associate editor of the student newspaper, the Arkansas Traveler. Upon graduation she worked for the Arkansas Gazette and the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission.
In 1974 Brandon, who was then president of the Little Rock PTA Council, formed a school lunch committee that uncovered a price-fixing scheme among the dairies providing milk for local school lunches. Her discovery and subsequent actions led to state and federal litigation, which resulted in an antitrust settlement that made Arkansas history.
While rearing two sons, Brandon returned to journalism where she launched the High Profile section of the Arkansas Democrat, which became the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She was editor of the High Profile section for twenty-five years.
Brandon passed away on January 11, 2020.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Phyllis D. Brandon and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Phyllis Dillaha Brandon's father, Calvin Dillaha
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Phyllis Dillaha (Brandon) with her mother, Vera Dillaha
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Phyllis Dillaha (Brandon), age 3, 1939
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Phyllis Brandon's mother, Vera Burt Dillaha, with her cousin, Burt Paynter, known to Phyllis as "Uncle Burt"
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Phyllis Dillaha (Brandon) and Wesley Pruden
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Phyllis Dillaha (Brandon) and Vance Arbuckle working at the Arkansas Traveler at the University of Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Picture from the Razorback annual; caption: United Press wire news was condensed into a daily news column in Traveler, is watched by editors (Vance) Arbuckle and (Phyllis) Dillaha; 1957
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Phyllis Dillaha (Brandon) photograph in Razorback annual; 1957
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Phyllis Brandon's mother, Vera Burt Dillaha, holding grandson at christening
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Paul Newman kissing Phyllis Brandon at the Democratic National Convention; Chicago, Illinois, 1968
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Phyllis Brandon's sons, Philip and Alex Brandon, with their cousins
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Phyllis Brandon with her sons, Philip and Alex Brandon
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Phyllis Brandon and Johnny Cash
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Phyllis Brandon with Bill and Hillary Clinton, November 1993
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Phyllis Brandon taking a photograph
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Phyllis Brandon, Barbara Graves, and Jim Dailey, mayor of Little Rock, at the United Nations headquarters, New York
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Phyllis Brandon and Ginger Beebe
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Phyllis Brandon
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Phyllis Brandon with her granddaughter and daughter-in-law
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Phyllis Brandon with her dog, Jake
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Phyllis D. Brandon; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
