15 Facts About Roberta Fulbright

Roberta Fulbright was an American businesswoman who consolidated her husband's business enterprises and became an influential newspaper publisher, editor, and journalist.

Roberta Fulbright used her paper to push civic responsibility and women's rights.

Roberta Fulbright Waugh was born on February 14,1874, in Rothville, Missouri to Pattie and James Gilliam Waugh.

Roberta Fulbright grew up on her family's farm in Rothville and attended school, church services at the Missionary Baptist Church, and learned to play the piano and organ.

Roberta Fulbright's parents sent her away to attend high school in Kansas City and then to a two-year college program at the University of Missouri to allow her to be fully certified as a teacher.

Roberta Fulbright joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, participating in a variety of social and intellectual events, including attending a lecture by Walter Williams, founder of Missouri's school of journalism.

Roberta Fulbright purchased timber interests, real estate, groceries, a poultry plant, an ice company, lumber company, a hotel, and a publishing house, among others.

Roberta Fulbright was appointed to fill Jay's unexpired term as a director at Arkansas National Bank, becoming the first woman bank director in Fayetteville.

Roberta Fulbright traded her bank shares for a controlling interest in the Washington Hotel.

The business was placed on the auction block and Roberta Fulbright was able to secure the highest bid.

In 1933, Roberta Fulbright began writing a column in the Democrat called "As I See It".

Roberta Fulbright was concerned about the judiciary that sheltered the bootlegging, corruption, fraud and graft, but was angry that county contracts only went to cronies or those willing to pay for protection.

In 1946, Roberta Fulbright was named by the Golden Rule Foundation as Arkansas Mother of the Year.

In 1949, Roberta Fulbright established a scholarship fund for the journalism school at the University of Arkansas and published a book of poetry which she gave as Christmas gifts.

Roberta Fulbright was one of the inaugural women inducted into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame in 2015.