Blair was born on October 25, 1938, in Washington, D.C.[1] She attended Cornell University, where she was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, and graduated in 1959.

[1] In 1975, she debated for the adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment in front of the Arkansas General Assembly, against Phyllis Schlafly.

[1] Blair was twice selected by University of Arkansas students as Outstanding Faculty Member, and she won the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Master Teacher Award.

[3] In 1998, Blair won the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award from the Midwest Women's Caucus for Political Science.

[2] Also in 2000, with the support of President Clinton, funds were obtained from the U.S. Congress to create The Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society at the University of Arkansas.

[4] The center director is Angie Maxwell, the Diane D. Blair Associate Professor of Southern Studies in the Political Science Department at the University of Arkansas.