Manning J. Dauer

Dauer was born in 1909 in North Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree (1930) and master's degree (1931) from the University of Florida and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinos (1933).

Dauer taught at the University of Florida's Department of History and Political Science and then at the Department of Political Science when it became a separate department. He was the first chair of the Department of Political Science, and served in this position for 25 years. His primary research interests was in political theory and American politics, and he was the author of numerous articles, chapters, and books. He wrote The Adams Federalists, considered the definitive study of Federalist Party during the administration of John Adams. He was one of the foremost scholars of Florida politics.

Dauer is best known as the principal articulate of the 1967 reapportionment plan for Florida, which was mandated by a federal district court (see Swann v. Adams). He also was a key consultant to the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission and helped formulate the most recent Florida Constitution, adopted in 1968. Dauer served in leadership positions with the American Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association, and the Florida Political Science Association.

Dauer died in 1987. Dauer Hall at UF is named after him.

• Official biography