Congressman Ray Thornton
With a diverse career including over 40 years of public service, Ray Thornton created a meaningful legacy in Arkansas. A graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, Thornton served as Arkansas Attorney General, an Arkansas Supreme Court Justice, the president of the University of Arkansas system, and as a two-term U.S. congressman.
Ray Thornton donated his papers to the University of Arkansas Libraries in December 2012; the collection was processed by February 2015. With more than 215 linear feet of material, the Thornton papers document both personal and professional aspects of Ray Thornton’s life. The personal materials encompass genealogical notes, correspondence from family and friends, annotated books, and collected mementos. The professional materials reflect Thornton’s multifaceted career, including his tenure with Arkla, Inc., his term as Attorney General of Arkansas, as a U.S. Congressman, and as an Arkansas Supreme Court Justice.
The varied materials of the manuscript collection include a series of scrapbooks and newspapers, as well as more than 1,600 photographs, 58 audio cassettes, and more than 100 video cassettes with recordings of Thornton’s speeches and political events.
The University Libraries Special Collections Department is honored to preserve this collection and make it available to future generations. The finding aid for the collection is available online.