January 23, 2007

The national Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was formed in 1874 in Ohio in an effort to combat the effects of alcohol on the family and society. The members chose abstinence as their solution. The first Arkansas chapter was formed in Monticello (Drew County) in 1876, and the state chapter was recognized in 1878. Seen here is a float from a Little Rock (Pulaski County) WCTU 1930s parade. The organization remained active in the state until the 1980s.