Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Futha Cone Magie, who became a pioneer in community journalism in Arkansas and used his journalistic abilities for the betterment of his community, was born in England (Lonoke County). His career in journalism began when he was eight years old and worked as a carrier for the Arkansas Gazette. After military service, he attended the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville (Washington County). He worked for a few years with other publishing entities and then bought a newspaper in Cabot (Lonoke County), a city where he lived the rest of his life. He and his wife subsequently bought and published several local newspapers. In 2002, the Arkansas Press Association gave him the Distinguished Service Award, and he was inducted into UA’s Alumni Society Hall of Honor.