ASA Newsletter 2019 February

Arkansas State Archives Arkansas Digital Archives

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ASA newsletter 2019 February

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Recommended Citation ASA newsletter 2019 February, Arkansas History Commission/Arkansas State Archives records, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at [email protected].

A Division of the Department of Arkansas Heritage

February Newsletter

Arkansas Territory, Circa 1820s Happy Birthday, Arkansas! Let's Celebrate!

Free Event Spotlights Arkansas History

What: Arkansas Territory Bicentennial Celebration When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 1 Where: Arkansas State Capitol, Second Floor Rotunda Admission: FREE

Join us as we celebrate the creation of the Arkansas Territory!

The Arkansas State Archives, along with other divisions of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, will celebrate the Arkansas Territory Bicentennial at the Arkansas State Capitol from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 1. Come see exhibits, family activities, living history interpreters, period music and information related to Territorial Arkansas. Attendees can get a piece of birthday cake and a free Arkansas Territory map poster while they learn what life was like in the Arkansas Territory 200 years ago.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson will speak during a 10 a.m. news conference. Other speakers will be Director Stacy Hurst, State Historian Dr. Wendy Richter and Swannee Bennett, director of Historic Arkansas Museum. The State Archives’ new traveling exhibit, “Territorial Arkansas: The Wild Western Frontier,” will debut at the event. Attendees can also view maps of the State Archives collections in a temporary exhibit at the State Capitol cosponsored by the State Archives and the Secretary of State’s Office.

Find out more and join the conversation about Arkansas Territory on our event page!

SARA, Historic Washington State Park celebrate Arkansas Territorial Day

Like many historic sites around the state, the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives and Historic Washington State Park will host special activities Saturday, March 2, to commemorate everyday life during the creation of the Arkansas Territory.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. participants can: Visit the Morrison Tavern Inn and talk with staff to see original Territorial Era Hempstead County court documents! Learn how to uncover history in your own investigations of archives records. Locate your county in the Arkansas Territory. Today’s counties in Arkansas were carved out of five original counties in the Arkansas Territory. Search on the map to see where you would have been living during territorial times.

Event Brings History to Life How the Arkansas Post became the Arkansas Territory Territorial Arkansas Living History Fest When: 9-4 p.m. Saturday, March 2 Capitol Where: Davidsonville Historic State Park Admission: Free When Arkansas Territory was established in 1819, Arkansas Post was named as the territorial capitol. By Come join the fun! then, the small settlement near the mouth of the Arkansas River already had a history stretching back We've teamed up with Davidsonville State Park to over 100 years. offer the public a chance to come learn and experience the history of the Arkansas Territory! In 1682, a French explorer named Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, better known as La Salle, The Territorial Arkansas Living History Fest is free took an expedition to row the lower Mississippi by and will include historic games, activities and history. canoe. Once he reached the mouth of the river, La Food and merchandise will be available for purchase Salle claimed the land for France and named it during the event. “Louisiana” in honor of French King Louis XIV.

The U.S. Congress created the Arkansas Territory on La Salle had an enterprising young man named Henri March 2, 1819. Davidsonville, which was established de Tonti with him. When the expedition ended, La in 1815, had Arkansas’s first post office. Archeological Salle gave de Tonti land in the Mississippi Delta for a excavations are still uncovering streets, foundations trading post. De Tonti created a small garrison of 10 and other artifacts. soldiers to establish a permanent settlement. That settlement later became a version of the Arkansas The park features a new visitor center with an 1820s Post. hunter-trapper float-boat, audio tour and display of historic finds from the archeological digs. This remote outpost was essential to the French. It served as an intermediary fortification for merchants Email the park for more information! Or check out traveling the Mississippi River between the Illinois our evet page to join the conversation. River and New Orleans.

The Native Americans in the lower Arkansas River Email for More Information Valley were divided into two tribes, the Quapaw and the Chickasaw. The Quapaw tribe was small enough that the French didn’t consider them a major threat. The tribe also was at war with the Chickasaws, which often pulled the fort into conflict.

A Q&A with Author Phyllis Hodges

We recently had the opportunity to ask our Pen to Podium speaker Phyllis Hodges questions about her book, “8 years of Unforgettable History: the Allure of America’s First." Hodges will speak 6-7 p.m. April 16 at the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

Q: Why should Arkansans who aren’t normally history buffs pay attention to your research or come to Pen to Podium?

A: My history book is unique...It's a Living history book, all the individuals are alive and well. People should come to the lecture because it's a hands-on lecture and book signing. A lot of the Arkansas First will be on hand to autograph and to answer questions.

African Americans and Sports in Arkansas

More than 50 people attended the Black History Commission of Arkansas event, "African Americans and Sports in Arkansas."

The event, which is part of Black History Month, drew a crowd of young and old. People listened to special speakers talk about the history of sports and African Americans in our state.

Speakers talked about their personal experiences, too. Dr. Wilbert Gaines, for example, sang songs related to his struggles and showed the audience a cotton sack his mother used to pick cotton. Dr. Gaines became one of the first African American faculty members at Arkansas State University.

During the event, Dr. Gaines spoke about overcoming obstacles and keeping a kind heart.

"Receiving starts with giving," Dr. Gaines told the crowd. "It's amazing what we can get done when we stop worrying about who's going to get the credit."

Author Jimmy Cunningham, Jr., also gave a passionate lecture on the struggle of African American athletes from Jefferson County, including Boid “One Arm” Buie.

A Conversation with Tatyana Oyinloye

Tatyana Oyinloye, coordinator of the African American History Program, took a moment out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her role in preserving Arkansas heritage and making sure history is not forgotten.

Q: What’s your job title, and how long have you worked at the Arkansas State Archives? A: I am the coordinator of the African American History Program. I started here Feb. 2, 2005, which is my oldest daughter’s birthday.

Q: What do you do on a typical day at Archives? A: Researching, preparing for speaking engagements, promoting and encouraging people to apply for a Curtis Sykes grant, preparing for workshops and other duties as assigned.

Q: How did you become interested in Arkansas history or working at the Arkansas State Archives? A: I started here because I had experience in microfilm and processing, which is where I originally started. Working here is where I found my love for knowing my history and my connection here in Arkansas.

Google Arts & Culture Photos Show African American Life, 1938

Be sure to check out a slideshow we put together as part of Black History Month. The photographs were taken in Grady, Arkansas, in 1938 and are part of a collection we hold. Click the button below to see more.

Arkansas State Archives One Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201

Main Phone: 501-682-6900 [email protected]

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