Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

August 18, 1994

Southwest Hospital in Little Rock (Pulaski County) dedicated its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit to the memory of James Ronald Rodgers Sr., its former vice chairman of the board. Rodgers was the first African American to be appointed manager of a major American commercial airport, the first black head of a major independent city agency in Little Rock (Pulaski County), and the state’s first black commercial loan officer. Rodgers, who died in December 1993, was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame on October 27, 1994.

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Arkansas Gazette Building

When John Heiskell assumed the position of editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Gazette at the turn of the twentieth century, many changes were made to reinvigorate the paper. Included in those changes was the construction of a three-story building at 3rd and Louisiana streets in Little Rock (Pulaski County), shown here in 1960, to house the paper’s operations. It served this purpose until the paper closed in 1991. In 1993, it was the site of the national headquarters of the Bill Clinton for President Campaign.

 

When John Heiskell assumed the position of editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Gazette at the turn of the twentieth century, many changes were made to reinvigorate the paper. Included in those changes was the construction of a three-story building at 3rd and Louisiana streets in Little Rock (Pulaski County), shown here in 1960, to house the paper’s operations. It served this purpose until the paper closed in 1991. In 1993, it was the site of the national headquarters of the Bill Clinton for President Campaign.

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"Great seal of the state of Arkansas" with eagle holding shield and "Regnat Popluas" ribbon in beak with angel mercy on one side and sword of justice on other Arkansas Overview Steel truss bridge with concrete supports over creek Hatfield Polk Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders White man and woman folk costumes on stage with barn backdrop presenting violin making parts Violet Brumley Hensley Folk, Woodwork postcard of multistoried light building with gabled roofs and chimneys "The Baker Hospital Eureka Springs Arkansas" Norman Baker Criminal Activities, Malpractice "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns Book cover featuring white woman with blond hair and bright lipstick Gennifer Flowers illustration of two story stone building with red roof and words "After Twenty-One Years A Success Story. Compliments of The Brinkley Hospitals, Little Rock, Ark." John Richard Brinkley Criminal Activities, Malpractice Marshallese Ethnic Groups "The Truth About the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" newspaper clipping Ku Klux Klan Early Twentieth Century, Parties and Interest Groups White women, children, and men stand in river with observers, hillside concrete wall in background Glenwood Montgomery, Pike Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities Log cabin with covered porch on grass Big Buffalo Valley Historic District Buildings, Museums and Historic Sites Two young white women in matching hats and dresses sitting on stairs with Texas-Arkansas border line painted on them and stone building in background Texarkana Miller

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Soldiers lined up before classical structure "State House Little Rock Ark." with horses and packs in foreground Old State House Museums and Historic Sites, State Organizations and Structures White visitors swimming in a pool below a waterfall Little Missouri River Physical Geography Newspaper clipping with illustrations and three headlines saying "runaway negro in jail," "pay up pay up," and "thirty dollars reward" Slavery European Exploration to Early Statehood Single story tan aluminum siding building with blue sign in front and trees Fargo Monroe Photo of a white male sheriff with bushy mustache Johnson County Executions of 1903 Law Enforcement Picture of a looped worm Nematodes Zoology Flooded area with trees and two pools as seen from above Climate Change Climatology, Environmental Issues and Controversies Group of cypress trees in wooded area Trees Botany Young white man wearing cowboy hat boots and western outfit holding sides of belt buckle with both hands smiling inscription "to Billy always Elton Britt Country George Napier Perkins White man and woman folk costumes on stage with barn backdrop presenting violin making parts Violet Brumley Hensley Folk, Woodwork Two-story house with tower behind a brick wall James Harris Draughon Miller Leaders Farmers drive mule team with plows in dirt field Farm Resettlement Projects Projects Old white woman in horned cat eye glasses and suit posing with arm on table Gressie Umsted Carnes State Figures Multistory concrete building and end of patched asphalt road lined with trees Arkansas Waterways Commission Water White woman smiling in pink suit and necklace Janice Riggle Huie Religious Figures

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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