the initial director of the center, and founder of the book awards, was james r. bennett (b. 1932), a professor of english at the university of arkansas. under his leadership, the center was located in the english department of the university in fayetteville, arkansas. under bennett, "the specific purpose of the center is to present an annual award for the best scholarship published on the subject of intolerance in the u.s." bennett's own perspective included concern for the effects of what he called "the patriarchal-corporate-government-education-media complex [which makes use of] a massive propaganda system designed to produce uncritical support." bennett remained the center's director in early 1998.