Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from Painting American flag on pole sublime mountain landscape in background with sunlight through clouds Sentinel of Freedom to African-American man and white woman talking to white man in suit Freedom Rides
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This Day in Arkansas History

July 1, 1902

John Heiskell, then twenty-nine, took the reins as editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Gazette. His brother, Fred Heiskell, served as managing editor. The Heiskell brothers reinvigorated the Gazette at a time when it was considered to be second to the Arkansas Democrat under James Mitchell. Changes included removing ads from the front page, constructing a new three-story building at 3rd and Louisiana streets in Little Rock, and updating equipment. Over the years, the Heiskell brothers reinvested their profits in the newspaper, buying a new press and going to a seven-day-a-week publication schedule. In 1908, they added color comics.

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Broncho Billy Anderson

This publicity photo shows “Broncho Billy” Anderson, the character developed and played by Gilbert Maxwell Aronson of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), America’s first cowboy movie star. After reading a Saturday Evening Post story about a character named Broncho Billy, Aronson developed the character into a franchise of Broncho Billy films. From 1908 to 1915, he made 375 westerns.

 

This publicity photo shows “Broncho Billy” Anderson, the character developed and played by Gilbert Maxwell Aronson of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County), America’s first cowboy movie star. After reading a Saturday Evening Post story about a character named Broncho Billy, Aronson developed the character into a franchise of Broncho Billy films. From 1908 to 1915, he made 375 westerns.

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Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century Arkansas General Assembly Single-story cabin like building with decorative plants and row of flag poles Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo Business Organizations Crowd of Asian-American children stand in rows holding hands over head in field near housing units. Jerome Relocation Center Projects Lumber mill building with four smoke stacks and water tower Forester Scott Multistory wooden building with bell tower and horse outside Sulphur Rock Independence Vertical stream in woodland area parallel to gravel and dirt road to its right silos visible in background Ring Slough Physical Geography Parked cars outside single-story building with "Arkansas Workforce Center" in blue letters above the entrance Arkansas Division of Workforce Services State Organizations and Structures postcard of multistoried light building with gabled roofs and chimneys "The Baker Hospital Eureka Springs Arkansas" Norman Baker Criminal Activities, Malpractice African-American women in formal dresses with a child sitting in chairs while men in suits stand behind them African Americans Ethnic Groups, Topical Portrait African-American male boxer with gloves raised, shorts, boots, in corner of ring Sonny Liston Boxing Street scene with cars Levy Pulaski "The Truth About the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" newspaper clipping Ku Klux Klan Early Twentieth Century, Parties and Interest Groups "Arkansas County" map showing borders roads cities waterways wildlife areas Tichnor Arkansas

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Older white man in white shirt and black pants smiling behind drum set on stage Levon Helm Actors and Filmmakers, Rock Headline "Christmas comes a little early this year" above illustration of parents labeled "Arkansas Voters" handing large present with text "Better Educational Opportunities" to two children labeled "Arkansas School Kids" all four smiling School Consolidation two white man in power boat fishing in bayou Mississippi Alluvial Plain Six Natural Divisions White man and woman talking to three white students through an office window Natalie Smith Henry Painting Brick sign in flower bed icon of water drop over skyscrapers text "Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority One Water One Future Clearwater Complex Administration Building Maintenance Facility" in front of iron fence trees and single story brick building in background Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority People and Organizations Two-story wooden building with brick chimney Washington Hempstead Statue of woman dancing with ball light in museum gallery with visitors Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Art Organizations, Museums and Historic Sites Wooden electric chair with leather straps on display Capital Punishment Law Enforcement Headline "A Double Hanging at Fort Smith. Special Dispatch to the Globe-Democrat" first lines of text "Another double hanging took place here today in which Hangman Maleson displayed his usual skill as an executioner" Fort Smith Double Execution of April 19, 1889 Law Enforcement Sketch from shoulders up of bearded older white man medium length hair dressed in suit and bow tie with high collar above text "Daniel Ringo" Daniel Ringo Judges Text "Mindcage the Art of the Kill" below white woman long straight hair wearing shoulder holster over striped long sleeve shirt holding handgun between black man dressed in suit wearing police badge and older white man long wavy hair dressed in prison uniform handcuffed all in front of angel figure between side profile of two identical white women eyes closed Mindcage Films Lee’s Chapel Methodist Church Institutions and Buildings, Museums and Historic Sites First lines of text "The simultaneous hanging of six murderers took plack at Fort Smith Fort Smith Sextuple Execution of September 3, 1875 Law Enforcement poster showing heads of Black man with short hair mustache and goatee white man short slicked back hair with and other white man short hair with scruff surrounded by lines of computer text and tag line "Some sins are unforgivable" Above text "Terrence Howard Esai Morales and Alex Baldwin Crescent City" Crescent City Films Text "12 Hour Shift" with red cross symbol replacing letter t in shift above text "Pull your shift together" over close up white woman from nose up hair pulled back looking on with red splatters covering her face 12 Hour Shift Films Dirt road with buildings on either side, including one "Dowell and Brown General Merchandise," and power lines Belleville Yell

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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