Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

A gala was hosted by President Bill Clinton to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Central High School’s desegregation. The National Park Service dedicated its new visitor center with a ceremony featuring a keynote address from civil rights activist and U.S. representative John Lewis. The following day, nearly 2,000 visitors converged on the front lawn of Central High to honor the Little Rock Nine and reflect on the school’s significant role in the civil rights struggle. A testament to its utilitarian design and quality construction, Little Rock Central High School is still in operation in the twenty-first century, making it the only fully functioning high school to be established as a National Historic Site.