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This Day in Arkansas History

May 17, 1954

Christopher Columbus Mercer Jr., who served as an advisor to civil rights leader Daisy Bates during the 1957 desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock (Pulaski County), was issued his license to practice law on the very date of the United States Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. With his legal background, Mercer helped Bates understand and respond to the flood of litigation against the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

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W. R. "Witt" Stephens Building

The Grant County Museum was established in 1963 by Prattsville High School history teacher Elwin Goolsby as a local history teaching project for his students. For years, the growing collections were housed in various classrooms. In 1970, the chamber of commerce purchased an old building for the museum’s first real home. But by the 1990s, the museum had outgrown this location. A 1992 fund drive resulted in the construction of the new museum, the W. R. “Witt” Stephens Building.

 

The Grant County Museum was established in 1963 by Prattsville High School history teacher Elwin Goolsby as a local history teaching project for his students. For years, the growing collections were housed in various classrooms. In 1970, the chamber of commerce purchased an old building for the museum’s first real home. But by the 1990s, the museum had outgrown this location. A 1992 fund drive resulted in the construction of the new museum, the W. R. “Witt” Stephens Building.

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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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