Dr. Walter Nunn, a figure in the state’s political life for almost five decades, died Monday night at 75.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ruebel Funeral Home.
A Monticello native and Hendrix College graduate, he earned a master’s in political science at the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Arkansas.
His resume included directing the Arkansas Institute of Politics and Government from 1978 to 1981. It helped teach people to run political campaigns.
He was a political science professor at UA-Little Rock for 20 years and for 30 years directed the Arkansas International Center, which brought more than 10,000 international visitors to Arkansas and helped Arkansas teachers integrate experiences abroad into classrooms. He was the founding owner of Rose Publishing, which published books about Arkansas history,
Walter’s mild manner and kindness were accompanied by the grit of a community organizer. Nunn led a neighborhood association effort in the Little Rock Oak Forest neighborhood to prevent blockbusting and to promote integration.