Ernest "Ernie" Dumas was born on December 13, 1937, in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas.
He attended Henderson State Teachers College before graduating from the University of Missouri—Columbia in 1960 with degrees in Journalism and English.
After graduation, Dumas began his journalism career at the Arkansas Gazette, where he eventually became the associate editor. His work has been featured in the Arkansas Times, New York Times, and Philadelphia Inquirer. He has taught journalism at the University of Central Arkansas. Additionally, Dumas has received the Ernie Deane Award for valor in journalism. He authored Dearest Letty: The World War II Love Letters of Sgt. Leland Duval and The Education of Ernie Dumas: Chronicles of the Arkansas Political Mind, and edited The Clintons of Arkansas: An Introduction by Those Who Know Them Best.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Ernie Dumas and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: William Crain, paternal great-grandfather of Ernie Dumas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Ernie Dumas's relatives posing in front of car at Champagnolle School: (front row) cousin, Perdue; uncle, Wallace Dumas; uncle, Emon Canady, Champagnolle school teacher; (back row on running board) cousin, Ruby Armer; neighbor, Lillian Morgan; cousin, Lovie Armer; unidentified boys lying under car
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Joseph Clifton Dumas, Ernie Dumas's father, and Ernest Armer, Ernie's namesake
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Cousins Sadie Stephens and Joseph Clifton Dumas, father of Ernie Dumas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Joseph Clifton Dumas, father of Ernie Dumas, posing with early model automobile
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Ernie Dumas's father, Joseph Clifton Dumas, (foreground, center), cousin, Ernest Armer (right); Joseph's siblings (background): Hazel, Harry, and Evelyn Dumas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Cousins: Bill Armer; Joseph Clifton Dumas, Ernie Dumas's father; Hillery Armer
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Evelyn Dumas Langley, Ernie Dumas's aunt, during the construction of Calion Lake, Union County, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Lovie Armer Brown and Joseph Clifton Dumas, father of Ernie Dumas, in rumble seat
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Berta (Canady) and Joseph Clifton Dumas, parents of Ernie Dumas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Berta (Canady) Dumas, mother of Ernie Dumas, ca. 1935
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Ernie Dumas portrait
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Olan Mills portrait of Joseph Clifton Dumas and wife Berta (Canady) Dumas, parents of Ernie Dumas, 1959
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Ernie Dumas military portrait, ca. 1963
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Ernie and Elaine Dumas cutting their wedding cake, June 1964
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Elaine and Ernie Dumas with Winthrop Rockefeller; Malvern, Arkansas, October 1964
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Ernie Dumas getting haircut from Renee Brissnick, 1968
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Ernie Dumas, Roy Bode, unidentified woman, and Jimmy Jones at J. N. Heiskell's 100th birthday party, November 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Ernie Dumas with his son at Pea Ridge National Military Park, 1975
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Elaine Dumas, wife of Ernie Dumas, with son, Christopher, picketing outside the Little Rock School Board offices, ca. 1975
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Ernie Dumas at the White House with President Jimmy Carter, 1977
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Letter to Ernest Dumas from President Jimmy Carter, November 1, 1977
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Ernie Dumas at Arkansas Governor's Mansion, 1981
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: George Fisher cartoon of Ernie Dumas and Jerry Maulden, December 11, 1987
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Molly Ivins, Ernie Dumas, and Irene Samuel at ACLU Banquet in 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Ernie Dumas and David Terrell fishing on the White River in Arkansas, June 1997
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Elaine and Ernie Dumas boating on the Rhine River, Germany, late 1990s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Ernie Dumas in Zermatt, Switzerland, ca. 1998
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: George Fisher cartoon featuring Ernie Dumas, December 5, 2002
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Ernie Dumas fishing in New Mexico, 2002
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Ernie Dumas golfing at Dingle Golf Club, Ireland, 2005
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Ernie and Elaine Dumas in Ireland, 2005
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Ernie and his brother, Wayne Dumas in Ireland, 2005
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Ernie Dumas taking photos in Maui, Hawaii
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Ernie and Elaine Dumas with niece, Alesia Dumas, after helicopter ride in Maui, Hawaii, 2007
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Christopher Dumas with parents, Elaine and Ernie Dumas, in San Francisco's Alamo Square, ca. 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Ernie Dumas; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Ernie Dumas; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Ernie Dumas; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Ernie Dumas; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Ernie Dumas; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
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© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
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© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
