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This Day in Arkansas History

July 2, 1982

Alice McArthur, the wife of Mary Lee Orsini’s defense attorney Bill McArthur, was murdered in her Pleasant Valley home in west Little Rock (Pulaski County). Orsini was tried and convicted for hiring two hitmen to kill Alice McArthur. Orsini was the central figure in this murder, as well as the earlier murder of her husband, and the ensuing media frenzy that took place in Little Rock in 1981–82. After many dramatic turns, including the arrest of her defense attorney on suspicion of conspiring to kill his wife, Orsini was ultimately arrested and convicted. She died in prison in 2003.

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T. Texas Tyler

Mena (Polk County) native David Luke Myrick, better known as T. Texas Tyler, introduced a distinctive country and western music style that made him a successful recording artist in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. With this style, in which many or all of the lyrics were spoken, Tyler inspired many performers who went on to greater fame, such as Red Sovine, Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Dean. Tyler died in 1972.

 

Mena (Polk County) native David Luke Myrick, better known as T. Texas Tyler, introduced a distinctive country and western music style that made him a successful recording artist in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. With this style, in which many or all of the lyrics were spoken, Tyler inspired many performers who went on to greater fame, such as Red Sovine, Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Dean. Tyler died in 1972.

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Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War Arkansas General Assembly Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders Single-story cabin like building with decorative plants and row of flag poles Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo Business Organizations Car parked in front of single-story building next to brick storefront with awning Dyess Mississippi, Projects Multistory brick building on street corner with traffic passing by Arkansas Historic Preservation Program Historians and Historic Organizations "Arkansas County" map showing borders roads cities waterways wildlife areas Tichnor Arkansas "The Truth About the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" newspaper clipping Ku Klux Klan Early Twentieth Century, Parties and Interest Groups Crowd of Asian-American children stand in rows holding hands over head in field near housing units. Jerome Relocation Center Projects Old white woman in dress holding a book Cane Hill Murders of 1839 Criminal Activities Multistory wooden building with bell tower and horse outside Sulphur Rock Independence View of hills along ocean cost author name title and quote text "'Truly one of the most remarkable books to come out of World War II Michener is a born storyteller.' The New York Times" Nellie Forbush Fiction Three white men in cowboy hats pose with donkey and black woman judge at fair Marlin Conover Hawkins Conway Leaders, Law Enforcement Street scene with cars Levy Pulaski postcard of multistoried light building with gabled roofs and chimneys "The Baker Hospital Eureka Springs Arkansas" Norman Baker Criminal Activities, Malpractice Lumber mill building with four smoke stacks and water tower Forester Scott

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Postcard "We all want the freedom to make decisions that affect our lives" Initiatives and Referenda Laws and Court Cases White building with blue lettering above the door and entrance gateway with arch on top and window awnings Leachville Mississippi Newspaper front page "Arkansas Echo" Das Arkansas Echo Newspapers and Magazines record cover "Arkansas Twist" designed so it looks like a smiling white man is breaking through the cover Bobby Lee Trammell Rock African-American woman in sparkly dress and long gloves Rose Marie McCoy Blues Landlord-Tenant Laws Laws and Court Cases, Poverty State of Arkansas v. Artoria Smith Laws and Court Cases, Poverty Jim DuPree v. Alma School District No. 30 Laws and Court Cases poster featuring African American young man in graduation robe among others formally dressed and a photo of nine high school students with an adult woman The Ernest Green Story Television and Streaming Dove v. Parham Laws and Court Cases, School Desegregation Labor Day Bombings of 1959 Criminal Activities, School Desegregation Older white man in white shirt and black pants smiling behind drum set on stage Levon Helm Actors and Filmmakers, Rock Headline "Christmas comes a little early this year" above illustration of parents labeled "Arkansas Voters" handing large present with text "Better Educational Opportunities" to two children labeled "Arkansas School Kids" all four smiling School Consolidation two white man in power boat fishing in bayou Mississippi Alluvial Plain Six Natural Divisions White man and woman talking to three white students through an office window Natalie Smith Henry Painting Brick sign in flower bed icon of water drop over skyscrapers text "Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority One Water One Future Clearwater Complex Administration Building Maintenance Facility" in front of iron fence trees and single story brick building in background Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority People and Organizations

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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