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This Day in Arkansas History

April 14, 1930

Dubbed “The Finest High School Building in the South for Negro Boys and Girls,” Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Little Rock (Pulaski County) was officially dedicated, although it had been operational since the fall. The building, which could serve as many as 1,600 students, cost $400,000 to build. Principal John H. Lewis spoke at the dedication, as well as the presidents of Atlanta University and Virginia State College and prominent black attorney Scipio A. Jones. The ceremony included musical performances and the playing of the “Negro National Anthem.”

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Black River Ferry

Long before the streams of Arkansas were spanned by bridges, the ferry was the most common way to cross deep bodies of water. Many early ferries were privately owned and generally were only large enough to carry one or two vehicles. Shown here in the summer of 1974 is the Pointe Ferry on the Black River. Though most Arkansas ferries have been replaced by bridges, some isolated locations still employ ferry service.

 

Long before the streams of Arkansas were spanned by bridges, the ferry was the most common way to cross deep bodies of water. Many early ferries were privately owned and generally were only large enough to carry one or two vehicles. Shown here in the summer of 1974 is the Pointe Ferry on the Black River. Though most Arkansas ferries have been replaced by bridges, some isolated locations still employ ferry service.

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Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming white man dressed as cowboy blowing into long, tubular musical instrument Bazooka [Musical Instrument] Man with gun on horse running in river on black and white poster with yellow text "Wishbone Cutter" Wishbone Cutter Films busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock white man in embroidered black shirt and white woman in turtleneck and white jacket smiling in front of trees "Tony and Susan Alamo Tony Alamo sings Mister DJ" Tony Alamo Criminal Activities, Religious Figures Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century African-American man in button-up shirt smiling with his left hand on his head Al Green Gospel Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders Front page of Arkansas Times with various images, the largest of which is a white man with glasses and text "Whitewater" Whitewater Scandal Exploded underground missile silo and debris as seen from above Titan II Missile Explosion Post Civil War "Kickapoo Indian Worm Killer" flyer showing a drawing of a man in a headdress holding a child Worms [Medical Condition], Traditional Remedies Pathology "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns

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Waterfall and fall foliage with pool of water Cossatot River Physical Geography Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming Stuffed alligator with sign on wooden shelf Big Arkie Zoology White man in suit and tie Leslie L. Biffle National Figures Charles S. Bibb Judges Hugo Francis Bezdek Football White man in a collared shirt standing in his office Between Heaven and Hell Fiction, Films A shirtless man and a shirtless woman embrace under a gray sheet partially covering their bodies with text that reads "Author of Never Been Kissed" Between the Sheets Fiction White woman in yellow pants and bra sitting on wooden box with an orange in her left hand and a lit cigarette in her right Louis L. Betts Painting white man in suit and tie Edwin Ruthvin Bethune Jr. Lawyers, Legislative Branch -- Representatives Group of white men women and children posing for group photo outside school building Bethesda Independence Elderly white couple standing before a multistory house with another white woman standing inside looking out Bethel Heights Benton Stone monuments and gravestones in rural cemetery with green field next to it and car on driveway Bethel Cemetery Cemeteries and Memorials, Museums and Historic Sites Bethel Cemetery Cemeteries and Memorials "Clark County" map with borders roads cities waterways Bethel Clark Marshallese Ethnic Groups

About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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