Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from "Turkey Caller and Gobler" diagram as designed by H.C. Gibson Henry C. Gibson to Turkey Trot Festival
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This Day in Arkansas History

November 29, 1940

Thelma Mothershed Wair, one of the Little Rock Nine, was born in Bloomberg, Texas. She attended Dunbar Junior High School and Horace Mann High School before becoming one of nine African American students to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Despite daily tormenting from some white students, she completed her junior year at the formerly all-white high school. Because the city’s high schools were closed the following year, she earned the necessary credits for graduation through correspondence courses and by attending summer school in St. Louis, Missouri. She died in 2024.

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Imperial Moth

The imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) is just one of the estimated 2,500 to 3,000 moths that inhabit or visit the state of Arkansas. The colorful moth, such as this one spotted at Mount Magazine State Park, can grow to have a wingspan of almost seven inches.

 

The imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) is just one of the estimated 2,500 to 3,000 moths that inhabit or visit the state of Arkansas. The colorful moth, such as this one spotted at Mount Magazine State Park, can grow to have a wingspan of almost seven inches.

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Single story white brick church building with covered entrance and parking lot Paron Saline Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures Arkansas Division of Community Correction Law Enforcement, State Organizations and Structures "In memory of those killed December 1987 Pope County Arkansas" flat engraved marker on grass Ronald Gene Simmons Criminal Activities "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century White man in suit and striped tie writing at his desk Arkansas Prison Blood Scandal Law Issues and Controversies busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Front page of Arkansas Times with various images, the largest of which is a white man with glasses and text "Whitewater" Whitewater Scandal Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities White man with stubbled beard sitting in backwards cap and jacket with his hands clasped under his chin Billy Bob Thornton Actors and Filmmakers Large white family sleeping in the same bedroom with the words "Hillbilly Togetherness" in the background Hillbillies Folk Image and Customs Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders Lumber mill building with four smoke stacks and water tower Forester Scott "Walton's" store with red and white awning and "Wal-Mart visitors center" on the windows Walmart Inc. Businesses
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"Akron Cemetery" sign in overgrown brown field with trees in the background Akron Independence "Brained with an axe" newspaper clipping David Akles Law Enforcement Fred Akers Football The "Preamble" page from the "Constitution of the Grand Agricultural Wheel of the State of Arkansas." Agricultural Wheel Agricultural Issues and Controversies, Labor Farmer and boy using a horse drawn plow in a field with hills in the background Agricultural Adjustment Act Agricultural Issues and Controversies Sarah Edith Sonneman Agee Washington Leaders Multistory brick church building with arched multicolored windows and arched doorway on street corner African Methodist Episcopal Church Faiths and Denominations African-American girl in dress with head bowed and hands clasped in prayer on magazine cover with text African American Perspectives Northeast Arkansas Newspapers and Magazines Photo of white woman in dress above newspaper text Aesthetic Club Recreational Organizations green cover showing boy in hat standing in front of picket fence Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Fiction Group of people standing on porch of single story building next to railroad tracks Adona Perry Portrait white man in suit and bow tie with mustache Simon Adler Business Leaders White man smiling in suit and tie Richard B. Adkisson Judges White man wearing glasses in suit and tie Homer Martin Adkins Governors White woman in white top Grace Evelyn Reese Adkins Nonfiction, Religious Figures White man with dark hair in suit and bow tie Samuel Adams Acting Governors

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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