Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

May 21, 2003

Frank Durward White, the forty-first governor of Arkansas, died in Little Rock (Pulaski County). White was best recognized as the little-known Republican candidate who defeated Bill Clinton in 1980 after Clinton had served only one term as governor. White himself was limited to one term when Clinton reclaimed his office in the State Capitol in 1982. White was probably never as popular as governor as he was as the ubiquitous toastmaster at events throughout the two decades after he retired from elective politics.

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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.

New to Arkansas?
New to Arkansas?

Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics and more!

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