A Documentary History Of Arkansas

by Williams, C. Fred; Bolton, S. Charles; Moneyhon, Carl H.; Williams, LeRoy T.

• ISBN13: 9781557287946
• ISBN10: 1557287945
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-15
• Publisher: Univ of Arkansas Pr

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
General Introduction	xv
PART I: EARLY ARKANSAS, to 1836
CHAPTER I: Under Three Flags
Introduction	3	(3)
A. Explorers and Indians	6	(6)
Spanish Encounters with the Indians	6	(2)
Marquette's Reception by the Quapaws	8	(2)
La Salle Claims Arkansas for France, 1682	10	(1)
La Harpe Explores the Arkansas River, 1722	11	(1)
B. The Post of Arkansas	12	(5)
Joutel Arrives at the Post, 1687	13	(1)
A British Attack on a Spanish Post, 1783	14	(2)
Social Life at Arkansas Post, 1820	16	(1)
C. Frontier Society	17	(4)
An Aged Settler Describes Early Subsistence, 1876	18	(1)
A Methodist Preacher Finds Godly Listeners in Arkansas, 1814-1815	19	(2)
For Further Reading	21	(2)
CHAPTER II: The Arkansas Territory
Introduction	23	(2)
A. Land Acquisition	25	(6)
An Allegation of Land Fraud	25	(3)
The Need for a Resident Surveyor	28	(1)
Petition for a Liberalized Land Law	29	(2)
B. Indian Removal	31	(3)
Memorial of the Cherokees	31	(2)
Migrating Indians Pass through Little Rock, 1832-1833	33	(1)
C. Transportation and Communication	34	(6)
Instructions for Building a Road	35	(2)
Proposed Mail Routes, 1827	37	(2)
The Steamboat Arkansas	39	(1)
D. Violence	40	(5)
The Scott-Selden Duel	40	(1)
An Attempted Mediation Fails	41	(2)
Brawling on the Devil's Fork	43	(2)
For Further Reading	45	(4)
PART II: ARKANSAS AND THE SOUTH, 1836 to 1900
CHAPTER III: Antebellum Arkansas, 1836-1860
Introduction	49	(2)
A. Growth and Development	51	(8)
A New Orleans Newspaper Assesses Opportunity in Arkansas	51	(2)
Arkansas as Viewed by an Irish Immigrant	53	(4)
A South Carolina Immigrant Paints a Better Picture	57	(1)
A Woman's Perspective on Antebellum Life	58	(1)
B. Agriculture	59	(9)
A Plantation in Southern Arkansas	60	(3)
A German Traveler Visits a Small Arkansas Farm	63	(4)
The View of Arkansas from the Bottom	67	(1)
C. Slavery in Arkansas	68	(6)
The Arkansas Slave Code	69	(3)
Narrative of a Former Slave	72	(2)
D. Politics	74	(10)
Whigs and Democrats	75	(3)
John Brown's Views on the 1856 Elections	78	(1)
Offices for The Family, 1836	79	(1)
Railroads and the General Assembly	80	(2)
Governor Yell Identifies Arkansas's Interest with the South	82	(2)
For Further Reading	84	(2)
CHAPTER IV: Arkansas and the Civil War Crisis, 1860-1874
Introduction	86	(3)
A. Secession-Pro and Con	89	(3)
Gazette Argues for Moderation	89	(1)
Governor Rector's Plea for Secession	90	(2)
B. Unionism versus the Confederacy	92	(5)
David Walker's Dilemma	92	(2)
Preparation for War	94	(1)
Ordinance of Secession, 6 May 1861	95	(2)
C. Patriotism and Dissent within Confederate Arkansas	97	(6)
Confederate Volunteers	97	(1)
Confederate Patriotism	98	(2)
Antiwar Sentiment in Carroll County	100	(2)
Lukewarm Support for the War	102	(1)
D. The Common People and the War	103	(4)
War and Business in Camden	103	(1)
Life in the Field	104	(1)
A Woman's View of the War	105	(2)
E. The Struggle for Freedom for Blacks	107	(6)
Four Labor Contracts	107	(3)
A Planter Views Black Freedom	110	(1)
Violence and the Freedmen	111	(2)
F. Republicans versus Democrats during Reconstruction	113	(7)
Conditions in Arkansas, March 1875	113	(4)
Republicans Defend Themselves	117	(3)
For Further Reading	120	(2)
CHAPTER V: Arkansas and the New South, 1875-1900
Introduction	122	(3)
A. The New South Spirit Invades Arkansas	125	(5)
Arkansas Life after Reconstruction	125	(4)
Address at the Opening of the Arkansas Building at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1 May 1893	129	(1)
B. Agriculture and the New South	130	(6)
A Farmer Looks at His Problems	131	(1)
The Patrons of Husbandry and Politics	132	(2)
Song of the Agricultural Wheel	134	(1)
The Farmers' Alliance	135	(1)
C. Labor in the New South	136	(12)
Working on the Arkansas Railroads	137	(5)
A Hell in Arkansas	142	(4)
Miner's Strike	146	(2)
D. Women's Rights	148	(3)
Woman's Work	148	(2)
Woman Suffrage	150	(1)
E. Changing Status of Blacks	151	(6)
Arkansas Separate Coach Law	151	(2)
Sen. George W. Bell on the Separate Coach Bill	153	(4)
For Further Reading	157	(4)
PART III: MODERN ARKANSAS, 1900 to 1954
CHAPTER VI: Arkansas in the Progressive Era
Introduction	161	(2)
A. Arkansas at Century's Dawn	163	(9)
The "City of Roses"	164	(1)
The Public School System of Arkansas	165	(1)
Jeff Davis Describes the Workings of the County Farm	166	(1)
Bone Dry: An Assault Upon "Demon Rum"	167	(2)
Needed Reforms: A Call to Action	169	(1)
Motion Pictures and Sex Education	170	(2)
B. Political Trends	172	(8)
The Initiative and Referendum	172	(1)
The Commission Form of Government	173	(2)
Suffragettes and the Political Equality League	175	(1)
Race as a Political Factor	176	(1)
Scipio Africanus Jones on Republicanism	177	(3)
C. The Coming of World Warfare	180	(3)
Military Preparedness and Patriotism	180	(2)
Arkansas Responds to the Red Scare	182	(1)
For Further Reading	183	(1)
CHAPTER VII: Between the Wars, 1920-1940
Introduction	184	(2)
A. Economic Development and Boosterism	186	(6)
Mines, Manufacturers, and Agriculture	186	(3)
Paving the Wilderness	189	(1)
Arkansas Boosterism	190	(2)
B. Mother Nature and Human Society	192	(11)
The Great Flood of 1927	192	(2)
The Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs	194	(2)
A Knight of the Long Trail: The Travels of a Circuit Rider	196	(2)
The Authors' and Composers' Society of Arkansas	198	(1)
The Anti-Evolution Law: A Challenge to the New Science	199	(1)
The Ku Klux Klan Speaks	200	(2)
Arkansas's Centennial Celebration	202	(1)
C. The Onslaught of Hard Times	203	(6)
Demands for Food	204	(1)
The Arrogance of Authority: A Citizen's Complaint	205	(1)
Experiment in Economic Recovery: The Dyess Colony	206	(1)
The Southern Tenant Farmers' Union Decries Lawlessness	207	(2)
D. State Indebtedness	209	(2)
Default: A Bondholder's Plea	209	(1)
Support for the Highway Bond Refunding Bill	210	(1)
For Further Reading	211	(1)
CHAPTER VIII: Arkansas during War and Peace, 1941-1954
Introduction	212	(3)
A. The Outbreak of a Second World War	215	(5)
The Arkansas State Guard	216	(1)
Arkansas's Defense Industries	216	(1)
One Arkansan's View of the Japanese	217	(1)
"Americans with Japanese Faces": A Letter to Mr. Lynn Hall	218	(2)
B. Agricultural and Industrial Developments	220	(3)
The State of Agriculture	220	(1)
Economic Development and Education: The Link	221	(1)
Arkansas's Population Loss	222	(1)
C. Black Citizens and the Quest for Greater Equality	223	(6)
A Blow against Jim Crow	224	(2)
Black Arkansans Seek the Vote	226	(1)
Economic Justice: A Report on the Little Rock Black Community	227	(2)
D. The Politics of Reform and Reaction	229	(6)
The GI Revolt	229	(1)
One View of Arkansas Politics at Midcentury	230	(1)
The Revenue Stabilization Act	231	(4)
E. A New Day Dawning	235	(5)
The Arkansas Plan	236	(2)
The Little Rock Council on Education: The Winds of Change	238	(2)
For Further Reading	240	(3)
PART IV: CONTEMPORARY ARKANSAS, From 1954
CHAPTER IX: Contemporary Arkansas
Introduction	243	(2)
A. Politics	245	(6)
Official Results of 1968 General Election	245	(1)
State Governors in the Twentieth Century	246	(1)
Rockefeller's Plans to Reorganize Agencies and Functions	246	(2)
Assembly Reapportionment Illustrates Population Shift	248	(3)
B. Society	251	(21)
Van Dalsem's Formula for Handling "Nosey" Women	251	(2)
Prison Conditions in Arkansas	253	(12)
Hog Frenzy Spreads over State	265	(3)
Arts in Arkansas	268	(3)
Migration Patterns by Age, 1950-1970	271	(1)
C. Economics	272	(22)
Little Rock Industry and the School Crisis	277	(1)
Arkansas River Navigation and Comprehensive Development Project Report	277	(5)
Everyone Talks about Other Things but Agriculture Is Still the King	282	(1)
Arkansas Freedom to Work Law	283	(11)
D. Education	294	(14)
The Little Rock School Crisis	294	(8)
The Program of School Desegregation in Little Rock	302	(4)
The Quality Education Act	306	(2)
E. The Natural State	308	(9)
Water for Arkansas	309	(1)
Preserving the Buffalo River	310	(5)
Channelization along the Cache	315	(2)
For Further Reading	317	(2)
Index	319