Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from Lookout tower with stone foundation and pyramid shaped roof with stairs Forest Fire Lookouts to Town map with area affected by fire shaded in Newport Fire of 1926
or Surprise Me

This Day in Arkansas History

July 29, 1893

Dorothy Shaver was born in Center Point (Howard County). Shaver became the first woman in the United States to head a multimillion-dollar firm when she took over as president of the prestigious New York City Fifth Avenue firm of Lord & Taylor.

Learn more about Dorothy Shaver Explore full history calendar

Browse the Encyclopedia

Entries

By Category A – Z

Media

By Category A – Z

Photo of the Day

Henry Dumas

Sweet Home (Pulaski County) native poet and author Henry Dumas was killed on May 23, 1968, by a New York Transit policeman. This photo was taken only a few days earlier. Details surrounding his death remain controversial; some evidence suggests that it was a case of mistaken identity, while other evidence suggests that Dumas’s behavior led the officer to believe that Dumas was reaching for a weapon. Regardless of the exact circumstances, Dumas’s tragic, early death serves as a reminder of the capricious state of Black men in American society during the 1960s and beyond. Dumas’s poems and short stories were not widely published until after his death.

 

Sweet Home (Pulaski County) native poet and author Henry Dumas was killed on May 23, 1968, by a New York Transit policeman. This photo was taken only a few days earlier. Details surrounding his death remain controversial; some evidence suggests that it was a case of mistaken identity, while other evidence suggests that Dumas’s behavior led the officer to believe that Dumas was reaching for a weapon. Regardless of the exact circumstances, Dumas’s tragic, early death serves as a reminder of the capricious state of Black men in American society during the 1960s and beyond. Dumas’s poems and short stories were not widely published until after his death.

Learn More

Trending Entries
Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War Three story brick building of shops with long balconies with cars parked by it and railroad tracks in foreground Randolph County Concrete dam with lake and countryside in the distance Greers Ferry Dam and Lake Engineering, Water 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 "Lawrence County" map with borders roads cities waterways Strawberry Lawrence Richard Wayne Snell Criminal Activities postcard of multistoried light building with gabled roofs and chimneys "The Baker Hospital Eureka Springs Arkansas" Norman Baker Criminal Activities, Malpractice Four white men in hard hats and reflective vests with equipment in dirt field Nashville Sauropod Trackway Paleontology Man in St. Louis Cardinal uniform throwing a pitch in crowded stadium "Dizzy" Dean Baseball, Radio Single-story cabin like building with decorative plants and row of flag poles Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo Business Organizations Plowed farm field with workers and houses in distance England Lonoke Concrete dam and buildings with power station on water Blakely Mountain Dam Engineering, Water Headline "A Double Hanging at Fort Smith. Special Dispatch to the Globe-Democrat" first lines of text "Another double hanging took place here today in which Hangman Maleson displayed his usual skill as an executioner" Fort Smith Double Execution of April 19, 1889 Law Enforcement White man with curly hair and beard in suit and bow tie Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Gerstäcker Fiction, Nonfiction White man with handlebar mustache and beard in suit and blue bow tie Militia Wars of 1868–1869 Post Civil War Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Arkansas Mounted Rifles [Mexican War] Units and Organizations

New & Updated
Road Bismarck Hot Spring Two-story hotel building with covered porch and balconies Coal Hill Johnson White man in bishop's robes wearing a cross necklace Roman Catholics Faiths and Denominations One white woman Rackensack Folklore Society, Pulaski County Folk, Folklife Projects and Folklorists Group photograph of white musicians with their instruments on signed cover of "The Rackensack Volume 1" album Rackensack Folklore Society Folk, Folklife Projects and Folklorists Single-story stone storefront building on rural road Williford Sharp White man in suit and red tie sitting at desk behind name plate and microphone John M. Jumper Chemistry, Math and Computer Science Rows of graves in a field bordered by an iron fence with trees in the background Cemeteries Cemeteries and Memorials Text "Leading with my heart" above photograph older white woman short curly hair long eyelashes wearing lipstick long sleeve blouse and rings on both hands arms crossed smiling above text "My Life Virginia Kelley with James Morgan" Leading with My Heart Nonfiction Steamboat with dredge device hanging from its stern White River Physical Geography, Water Multistory brick buildings on street with parked cars lined up in front of them and people on street corner Batesville Independence Country road entering tiny community Southside Independence Model store front with shelves of various items and sign reading "Phillips 66" Old Independence Regional Museum Museums and Historic Sites Lake with bridge and various brick buildings in background along wooded shoreline Mammoth Spring State Park State Parks "U.S.A. 1939 W.P.A." badge shaped plaque on brick wall Works Progress Administration Projects Steam locomotive with cars rounding a curve near a river Hardy Sharp

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.

New to Arkansas?
New to Arkansas?

Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

See Overview