Dale Leon Bumpers was born on August 12, 1925, in Charleston, Franklin County, Arkansas.
He attended the University of Arkansas for a brief time before enlisting in the United States Marines in 1941. After his discharge in 1946, Bumpers returned to the university, earning a B.A. in political science. He then completed a law degree at Northwestern University and in 1952 began practicing law in Charleston. As an attorney, Bumpers advised the Charleston School District to desegregate immediately after the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
Bumpers was elected governor of Arkansas in 1970 and US senator in 1975. During his tenure, he served on the US Senate Appropriations Committee, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and as chairman of the Committee on Small Business. He was an avid supporter of agriculture and environmental legislation, as well as of decreased military spending. Bumpers retired from the Senate in 1999. Known as a skilled orator, he returned to the Senate floor to deliver the closing argument on behalf of President Bill Clinton at his impeachment trial.
Bumpers became the director for the Center for Defense Information and practiced law in Washington, DC, before retiring to Little Rock in 2008. The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas is named for him.
Bumpers passed away at his home in Little Rock on January 1, 2016.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Dale Bumpers and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Dale Bumpers's grandmother, Martha Volentine Bumpers
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Dale Bumpers with his siblings, Carroll and Margaret, and parents, Lattie and William "Bill" Rufus Bumpers, 1936
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Dale Bumpers's father, William "Bill" Rufus Bumpers, at the Bumpers home; Charleston, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Dale Bumpers's father, William "Bill" Rufus Bumpers, in front of his hardware store and funeral home; Charleston, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Dale Bumpers's father, William "Bill" Rufus Bumpers
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Dale Bumpers's brother, Carroll, holding Johnnie McCormick
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Dale Bumpers (right) with Wendell Workman (center) and friend; Charleston, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Dale Bumpers, Charleston, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Dale Bumpers, high school photo
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Frank Gentile, Dale Bumpers, and Carl Harmon at Eddie Pond's Kubla Kahn Theatre Restaurant, San Francisco, California
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Dale and Betty Bumpers kissing at their wedding, First Methodist Church, Charleston, Arkansas; September 4, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: First Methodist Church in Charleston, Arkansas, where Dale and Betty Bumpers were married
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Dale Bumpers with his sons, Bill and Brent, on the porch steps of their first home, Charleston, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Dale Bumpers (center) with members of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce: (left to right) Howard Orsburn, Clyde Hiatt, Oliver Coonrod, and Paul F. Whittington; ca. early 1960s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Dale Bumpers, 1962
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Bumpers family photo for the directory of the First Methodist Church; Charleston, Arkansas, 1964
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Dale and Betty Bumpers in Iowa, June 1970
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Dale and Betty Bumpers with their children, Bill, Brooke, and Brent, on a gubernatorial campaign postcard
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: "Elect Dale Bumpers Governor" billboard, 1970
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Governor Dale Bumpers at his desk
© Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville
#22: Dale Bumpers with his wife, Betty, and their children, Brent, Brooke, and Bill, at the Arkansas Governors Mansion
© Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville
#23: Governor Dale Bumpers at a speaking engagement, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Governor Dale Bumpers (right) reviewing the department budget with Arkansas Parks and Tourism director, Bill Henderson, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Left to right: Senator Dooley Womack, Governor Dale Bumpers, Charles Ross, Representative Juliam Strett, James Branyan, and Dr. Roger Bost at the Southwest Tech Institute in Camden, Arkansas; July 28, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Governor Dale Bumpers (right) and Betty Bumpers, presenting a March of Dimes proclamation to Jess Odom and Jeffery Martin Cagle; January 5, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Governor Dale Bumpers with former Arkansas governor Sid McMath, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Governor Dale Bumpers with Senator John McClellan, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Governor Dale Bumpers with Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt at the Northwest Arkansas Poultry Festival, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Vice President Gerald Ford making a dedication speech at the grand opening ceremony for the new Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. Seated on the first row behind the vice president: (left to right) Congressman Ray Thornton, Senator John McClellan, Governor Dale Bumpers, Congressman Wilbur D. Mills, and Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt; January 12, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Governor Dale Bumpers (right) and Bill Clinton at the Southwest Times Record groundbreaking ceremony in Fort Smith, Arkansas; August 23, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Governor Dale Bumpers presenting the Every Child by '74 proclamation to his wife, Betty; October 9, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: The Bumpers family at Christmas; Charleston, Arkansas, 1977
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Dale Bumpers with his wife, Betty, daughter, Brooke, and close family friend, Henrietta "Hu Hu" (seated on left), in the US Senate Dining Room in Washington, DC; January 1985
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Dale Bumpers touring the Kennedy Space Center
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Senator Dale Bumpers (right) with Senator David Pryor at an event in Washington, DC, 1986
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Dale Bumpers with (from left) his wife, Betty; sister, Margaret Kahliff; sister-in-law, Catherine Bumpers; niece, Donna Bumpers; and brother, Carroll Bumpers, at a Democratic function, 1990
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: "Re-elect Dale Bumpers Senator" bumper sticker from the 1992 campaign
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Senator Dale Bumpers (center) with Representative Blanche Lincoln, Senator David Pryor, and President Bill Clinton; 1996
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Formal portrait of Dale Bumpers
© Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville
#41: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#45: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#47: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Dale Bumpers; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
