Francis Hawks Govan was born in Mariana, Arkansas.  He graduated from Hendrix College with a Humanities Degree, did graduate study at the University of Wisconsin and Layton School of Art, received a Masters Degree from Columbia University in 1951 in Fine and Industrial Art, traveled and studied in Mexico and received two Carnegie Research Grants.

Professor Govan taught from 1941 until 1999.  He had a unique style of teaching and inspiring his students, some of whom went on (showing 500 of 4633 characters).