Hall of Fame Member Biographies

William R. Carmack

Few academics in Oklahoma have had careers of meritorious service to the state and to its citizens as have William R. (Bill) Carmack. Bill graduated from Lawton High School in 1947 and after earning degrees from Abilene Christian University and Florida State University, he earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois in 1958. He then joined the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma and in 1961 become the Director of the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies where he served minority populations of the state. In 1964 Bill became Administrative Assistant to Senator Fred R. Harris in Washington, D.C. He next became Assistant Commissioner for Community Services in the Bureau of Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior. Next he became the Executive Director of the National Council on Indian Opportunity chaired by Vice President Hubert Humphrey. In that capacity he helped establish the self-determination policy for American Indians still in use today. In 1970 Bill returned to the University of Oklahoma as Chairman of the Department of Communication. He next became Vice Provost of the University for Communication and Information. He helped establish the Political Communication Center at the University and secure its extensive archival material. He has produced numerous books, scholarly articles and academic presentations throughout his career. In 1983 he was designated a Regents Professor, among the highest honors the University can bestow on faculty. The Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society is proud to welcome William R. Carmack to the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.