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This Day in Arkansas History

November 10, 1947

A state committee adopted “The Arkansas Traveler” as the title and melody of Arkansas’s second state song, with lyrics to be added after submissions from the public. In 1949, the State Song Commission published lyrics to the old fiddle tune with no indication of authorship. Two verses offered a nostalgic look at the traditional tale of the Arkansas Traveler, while the chorus offered sentiments worthy of any progressive booster. The legislature did not ratify the commission’s choice, but this updated version of the “Traveler” was the state’s de facto official song from 1949 to 1963. Despite its traditional roots, it was not popular, perhaps because of its somewhat awkward lyrics (particularly the rhyming of “Hurrah” with “Arkansas”).

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Kaiser Gin

Mississippi County was once the world’s major producer of rain-grown cotton. Shown here is a caravan of wagons loaded with newly picked cotton lined up at a Keiser (Mississippi County) gin in the 1940s.

 

Mississippi County was once the world’s major producer of rain-grown cotton. Shown here is a caravan of wagons loaded with newly picked cotton lined up at a Keiser (Mississippi County) gin in the 1940s.

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African-American man in basketball jersey uniform spinning a basketball on one finger "Geese" Ausbie Basketball Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming Mixed race crowd listening to speaker Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union Labor, Poverty White man wearing a hat and women in dresses picking cotton with long cotton sack stretching out behind her Great Depression A single bison standing at bottom of hill in grassy field trees and stump in background Bison Zoology Older white woman short wavy hair wearing headband suit jacket pencil skirt and floral pattern scarf around neck standing outside Ellen Wheeler Knight Educators and Administrators Icon of cannon next to text "The Camden Expedition Route" above old photo group of men with rifles on horseback next to large map marking various events along trail during military conflict Camden Expedition Timeline Civil War Wooden sign held up by posts near road text "The Village @ Pickles Gap Shop Eat Relax" above smaller sign illustration of shaggy dog text "Doc's Coffee and Creamery" Pickles Gap Faulkner busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski White man with long beard in military uniform with horse and dog Prairie Grove Campaign Timeline Civil War Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock Portrait African-American male boxer with gloves raised, shorts, boots, in corner of ring Sonny Liston Boxing Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns Exploded underground missile silo and debris as seen from above Titan II Missile Explosion Post Civil War

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African-American man in basketball jersey uniform spinning a basketball on one finger "Geese" Ausbie Basketball Burning steamboat on river on "Sultana Disaster Museum" brochure with "The Forgotten Tragedy" section Sultana Disaster Museum Museums and Historic Sites Ashlie Atkinson Actors and Filmmakers, Television and Streaming Older white woman short wavy hair wearing headband suit jacket pencil skirt and floral pattern scarf around neck standing outside Ellen Wheeler Knight Educators and Administrators African-American woman and white men in suits sitting at table signing documents while white men in suits stand behind them Arkansas State University Mid-South Two-Year: Colleges and Universities Soldiers posing in line wearing hats with buildings cabins tents on hillside in background Battle of Arkansas Post Civil War field with trees in front of mound Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park Sites and Artifacts, State Parks B-26A Bomber Crash of 1942 Post Civil War Houses in flooded fields with trees and debris West Memphis Crittenden Multistory brick building with mansard roof and stairs Helena-West Helena Phillips Clergy Sexual Abuse Issues and Controversies Clay figurine of of person on knees in front of pot in display case above label text "Mississippian Mississippian Period Time Periods Brick church building with four columns and steeple with vehicle parked in front Ouachita Baptist University Four-Year: Colleges and Universities, Institutions and Buildings steam ship with canons at the ready on river Steamboats Ships and Vessels Black female nurse holding black infant on bed examined with stethoscope by black male doctor Health and Medicine Topical Map showing routes in red Indian Removal European Exploration to Early Statehood

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.

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