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.

Jun 15, 2019 · Arkansas was readmitted to the Union in 1868 with Republicans in charge of all levels of government. Reconstruction provided the state’s former slaves their first real political power, and many African Americans rose to high positions of authority within state government and civic organizations.

Apr 24, 2024 · The Arkansas State Archives (ASA), located in Little Rock (Pulaski County), is the official state archives of Arkansas and houses the state’s largest collection of documents, publications, photographs, and other material relating to Arkansas history.

Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly.

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas debuted to the public in May 2006, as a work in progress. It contained approximately 700 entries and 900 pieces of media. During its first month online, the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas had more than 47,000 visits and 3.3 million hits.

May 21, 2024 · The Arkansas Historical Association (AHA) published a few volumes on Arkansas history in the first decade of the twentieth century, but that organization was then eclipsed by the Arkansas History Commission (now called the Arkansas State Archives), created in 1905. Although the AHC was under-funded and little appreciated, it struggled to create ...

Jun 6, 2024 · The Civil War was one of the greatest disasters in Arkansas history. More than 10,000 Arkansans—Black and white, Union and Confederate—lost their lives. Thousands of others were wounded. Devastation was widespread, and property losses ran …

Feb 27, 2024 · DAH was created in 1975 to preserve and promote Arkansas’s natural and cultural heritage as a source of pride and enjoyment for all. The original legislation named the agency the Department of Arkansas Natural and Cultural Heritage and grouped together culturally oriented agencies in one department.

Nov 6, 2024 · The name changed back to Little Rock, and in the fall of 1821, the Arkansas territorial capital was moved there from Arkansas Post. Little Rock was incorporated as a town in 1831 and as a city in 1835.

Welcome to the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas’s page for National History Day 2024, the theme of which is: “Turning Points in History: People, Places, Ideas” Below, you will find a variety of entries that touch upon this theme as it relates to Arkansas history.