In Honor of Jimmie Lou Fisher

Our Democratic Party of Arkansas mourns the loss of beloved friend, cherished mentor and trailblazing feminist leader, Jimmie Lou Fisher.

Jimmie Lou’s decades of public service in Arkansas can be explained simply: She loved Arkansas intensely, but she loved Arkansans more and was determined to help them live better lives. She was a Christian who loved God and loved her fellow man, and that unshakeable faith informed her political career in a way that I’m confident would have made Jefferson and Madison proud.

We are working with Jimmie Lou’s family and closest friends on an idea that will honor her in perpetuity and focus on growing our Party while training young people to be the future leaders of the DPA. We will announce this program at our Convention on August 13th in Conway.

Contributions received via this form will go towards funding this soon-to-be-announced program. You can also mail a check to the DPA - 1300 West Capitol Ave, Little Rock, 72201.

There is little doubt that she campaigned longer and harder for herself and other Democrats than any other political figure in Arkansas’s history, and it is an undisputed fact that she was the most prolific fundraiser this Party has ever had. 

Fisher served as Arkansas’s State Auditor and State Treasurer, a post she held for a record 22 years. She also held the distinction of being the first female gubernatorial nominee of a major party in Arkansas history. Fisher served as a national delegate to the Democratic National Convention four times, including both of President William Jefferson Clinton’s nominations. Since 2016, the state party has held an annual reception, the Fisher-Shackelford Dinner, celebrating the achievements of Democratic women.