January 1, 1910

Richard Butler Sr. was born in Little Rock (Pulaski County). A lawyer, banker, real estate investor, philanthropist, and horticulturalist, Butler is best remembered for his wide variety of business developments and community activities. His most famous work was his role in defending the Little Rock School Board in a suit filed by the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a case that eventually went to the Supreme Court as Cooper v. Aaron. The Central Arkansas Library System’s Butler Center for Arkansas Studies today bears his name in recognition of his endowment of the center for the purpose of promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of Arkansas history, literature, art, and culture.