Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from Balding white man in suit and tie sitting in a wooden chair Arkansas Territorial Centennial to White man placing a wreath under historical marker sign Civil War Centennial
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This Day in Arkansas History

January 7, 1932

Pickens W. Black, a Jackson County planter from Blackville and the first African American known to receive Airman Certification Notification (a pilot’s license), got his student pilot certification. He got his private pilot’s license the next year and his last license in 1958. Aviation history in Arkansas includes one pioneer inventor, a few attempts at commercial airplane production, a regional commuter airline, a now-national air freight company, and varying degrees of impact on the state’s communities. By the 1970s, aviation had become essential both for business use and for personal travel.

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Watermelon Girls

Born in Crittenden County in 1913, regional artist Carroll Cloar used his childhood memories as subject matter for his art. The works he created from his life experiences and the images in old photographs defined his art, especially in his later years, and gained him national recognition. While well known for his lithographic work, Cloar also produced many paintings, such as this 1986 acrylic on panel titled Watermelon Girls.

 

Born in Crittenden County in 1913, regional artist Carroll Cloar used his childhood memories as subject matter for his art. The works he created from his life experiences and the images in old photographs defined his art, especially in his later years, and gained him national recognition. While well known for his lithographic work, Cloar also produced many paintings, such as this 1986 acrylic on panel titled Watermelon Girls.

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Older white man with receding dark hair glasses and beard Andrew Kilgore Photography busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski White man with stubbled beard sitting in backwards cap and jacket with his hands clasped under his chin Billy Bob Thornton Actors and Filmmakers Three Caddo women in dresses and hair ornamentation photographed from behind Native Americans Ethnic Groups, Topical Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures 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 Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities 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 "In memory of those killed December 1987 Pope County Arkansas" flat engraved marker on grass Ronald Gene Simmons Criminal Activities Multistory red brick church building with steeple Seventh-Day Adventists Faiths and Denominations Mixed group of people reflected as their younger selves in pool with multistory building behind them with text above that Little Rock Nine School Desegregation, School Segregation and Desegregation white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming Portrait Italian American man in stylish suit tie wavy hair intimidating glare droopy right eyelid Charles "Lucky" Luciano Criminal Activities "Great seal of the state of Arkansas" with eagle holding shield and "Regnat Popluas" ribbon in beak with angel mercy on one side and sword of justice on other Arkansas Overview
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Two-story brick building with three-story central tower at night MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Locations, Museums and Historic Sites Anna Nash Yarbrough Poetry "Saline County" map with borders roads cities national forest lakes Vimy Ridge Saline "Welcome to Gillett" sign with lake and ducks painted on it Gillett Coon Supper Arkansas Leaders, Festivals and Events rear view of man handling ground beef with "W" stamped on his back pocket World War II Prisoner of War Camps Locations, Projects Older white man with receding dark hair glasses and beard Andrew Kilgore Photography aerial view of military base with many uniformly shaped white buildings in rows Fort Chaffee Locations Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century Potrait of white man in suit with raised collar Roswell Beebe Business Leaders, Land Frank Stanford Poetry Wood frame lodge and boulder lined gravel road with cars trees Cherokee Village Fulton, Sharp "Hempstead County" map with borders roads cities waterways Spring Hill Hempstead White man with mustache dressed in suit holding pocketwatch Henry Moore Sr. Business Leaders Panorama of kitchen, barracks, uniformed men, truck, and rock walls, hand-signed "C.C.C. Camp Nodak - Plainview, Ark. 11-8-33" New Deal Projects Two white men sitting with coffee cup papers and image of the White House with white text below them The War Room Films Fountain Brown Civil War to Gilded Age, Religious Figures

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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New to Arkansas?

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

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