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Welcome to the new CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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. It will also benefit people outside the state who are seeking information about Arkansas. 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. The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a work in progress. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

Photo Of The Day
Florence Price

Little Rock (Pulaski County) native Florence Beatrice Smith Price became the first woman African-American composer to have a symphonic composition performed by a major American symphony orchestra when her Symphony in E Minor was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on June 15, 1933. A lifetime of teaching and composing resulted in a body of work that consists of more than 300 compositions ranging from small teaching pieces to concertos and large-scale symphonies.

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This Day in Arkansas History
July 8, 1885

John Richard Brinkley was born in Jackson County, North Carolina. He made a fortune in medical quackery, radio, and advertising in Del Rio, Texas. In the late 1930s, he moved his practice to Little Rock (Pulaski County), where his dishonest career came to light and collapsed.

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