Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

June 25, 1941

The lawyers for Eva Ware Barnett, composer of Arkansas’s first official state song, opted for a “no suit” action in her case against the state, effectively withdrawing the charge while retaining the option of reopening the case within a year. In 1939, the office of Secretary of State C. G. “Crip” Hall had prepared a pamphlet about the state, including the words and music to “Arkansas”—Barnett’s genteel anthem to Arkansas. According to later testimony by secretary of state employees, Barnett had offered no objection to this free publication. The pamphlet was issued in 1940, an election year; 60,000 copies were distributed. In June 1940, Barnett had filed a claim against the state, asserting that the free distribution had injured sales of her sheet music.

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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, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

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