Bob C. Riley

Bob Cowley Riley (September 18, 1924 – February 16, 1994) was an American politician and educator who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1971 to 1975, and as acting Governor of Arkansas for eleven days in January 1975, making him the first blind person to serve as a governor of any U.S. state.

A World War II veteran who lost his sight to combat wounds sustained during the Battle of Guam in 1944, Riley overcame his disabilities to build a career spanning both higher education and Democratic Party politics in Arkansas. For over two decades he was a professor of history and political science at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, where he chaired the political science department. His distinctive black eye patch became his personal trademark, and he was known throughout Arkansas as a gifted public speaker and raconteur.

Early life and education Riley was born on September 18, 1924, in Little Rock, Arkansas, the son of Columbus Allen Riley and Winnie Craig Riley.

While stationed in California prior to deployment, Riley had a minor role in the 1943 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Salute to the Marines. He played the part of a concealed Japanese soldier who startles the main characters, a role that required him to wear heavy camouflage makeup.

After the war, Riley enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1945, where he earned his BA in 1950, his MA in 1951, and his Doctor of Education (EdD) in 1957. The wounds he sustained that day were catastrophic and life-altering. His left eye was surgically removed, and although he retained minimal light perception in his right eye for a short time, that perception soon disappeared entirely, leaving him completely blind. Bumpers's Senate term was set to begin on January 3, 1975, before his gubernatorial term was due to expire on January 14. Bumpers accordingly resigned the governorship on January 3, 1975, elevating Riley to the position of acting governor for the remaining eleven days of the unexpired term.

Riley served as acting governor from January 3 to January 14, 1975, the date of David Pryor's inauguration as the new governor. His wife, Claudia Zimmerman Riley, served as First Lady of Arkansas for the same eleven days.

Personal life Riley married Claudia Zimmerman in 1956. Their daughter, Megen, was born in 1959. The family made their home in Arkadelphia, where Riley spent virtually his entire post-military adult life as a professor and civic figure.

Riley died of congestive heart failure in Arkadelphia on February 16, 1994, at the age of 69. He was interred at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Arkadelphia.

Legacy Riley's career has been cited as a notable example of disabled veterans' participation in American public life in the post-World War II era. His eleven-day governorship gave him the historical distinction of being the first blind governor in United States history, a fact that has been the subject of scholarly attention, including a 2008 article in The New York Times which examined the precise nature of his visual impairment and the historical record surrounding his status. His life was also noted in Undaunted by Blindness (2012), a reference work profiling individuals who have achieved distinction despite visual impairment.

In academic circles, Riley was remembered in a formal obituary published by the American Political Science Association in its journal PS: Political Science and Politics in June 1994, co-authored by his colleague Harold F. Bass and political scientist Daniel R. Grant.