This Day in Arkansas History

April 3, 1961

Grace Elizabeth Ward, who was to become Miss Arkansas in 1981 and was chosen as Miss America in 1982, was born in Ozark (Franklin County). Ward changed her name to Elizabeth Ward Gracen after she went into acting because another Elizabeth Ward was already a member of the Screen Actors Guild. In 1992, she became the first former Miss America to appear nude on a Playboy magazine cover. Gracen has appeared in a number of films, television series, and made-for-television movies and has also done voice acting.

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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, 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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