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This Day in Arkansas History

February 26, 1885

Jim Ferguson was born in Silver Hill (Searcy County). A philanthropist who made contributions to several hospitals and schools throughout the state, he is most known in Searcy County as the impetus behind the public library in Marshall (Searcy County), named the Jim G. Ferguson Searcy County Library.

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James Banks

Lee County native and educator James A. Banks is considered by many to be the “father of multicultural education” in the United States. Growing up in rural Arkansas, Banks earned a PhD from Michigan State University in 1969 and became the first African-American professor in the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1992, he founded the Center for Multicultural Education at the university. Scholarship generated during his more than forty years of research has greatly advanced the field of multicultural studies.

 

Lee County native and educator James A. Banks is considered by many to be the “father of multicultural education” in the United States. Growing up in rural Arkansas, Banks earned a PhD from Michigan State University in 1969 and became the first African-American professor in the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1992, he founded the Center for Multicultural Education at the university. Scholarship generated during his more than forty years of research has greatly advanced the field of multicultural studies.

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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.

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