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71-648: Orval Eugene Faubus ( / ˈ f ɔː b ə s / FAW -bəs ; January 7, 1910 – December 14, 1994) was an American politician who served as the 36th Governor of Arkansas from 1955 to 1967, as a member of the Democratic Party . In 1957, he refused to comply with a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education , and ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent black students from attending Little Rock Central High School . This event became known as

142-542: A 63% to 37% percent margin. Faubus rejected his father's radicalism for the more mainline New Deal , a pragmatic move. He was elected governor as a liberal Democrat. A moderate on racial issues, he adopted racial policies that were palatable to influential white voters in the Delta region as part of a strategy to effect key social reforms and economic growth in Arkansas. The 1954 election made Faubus sensitive to attacks from

213-432: A boardwalk through a swamp, marks the starting point of the survey. During the antebellum era, American settlers used enslaved African Americans as laborers to drain swamps and clear forests along the river to cultivate the rich alluvial plain. They began to develop cotton plantations, which produced the chief commodity crop of the region. After achieving territorial status in 1819, Arkansas reneged on an 1818 treaty with

284-570: A cash-poor economy. These two measures caused sharp declines in the number of African-American and white voters; by 1895 no African-American members were left in the General Assembly. The Republican Party was hollowed out, and the farmer-labor alliance collapsed. Most blacks were kept off the rolls and out of electoral politics for more than six decades, until after Congressional passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , although

355-461: A central role in the lives of residents. African-American gospel music's roots are deep in the Delta. Unlike the blues, which has been historically dominated by men throughout the Delta, women established a pioneering role in gospel music. From the quartet traditions that dominate south Arkansas, to the classic and contemporary solo artists who have found national prominence in the east, gospel music in

426-518: A concerted effort in the 1940s increased voter registration. Social tensions rose in the area after World War I, as black veterans pushed for better conditions. Unlike other mass riots of Red Summer 1919, when whites attacked blacks in numerous northern and midwestern cities because of labor and social competition, the Elaine Race Riot , now known as the "Elaine Massacre", was the result of rural forces. It occurred near Elaine, Arkansas in

497-541: A fertile backdrop of juke joints, clubs and dance halls which have so completely nurtured this music. Many of the nation's blues pioneers were either born in the Arkansas Delta or lived in the region. Today the region hosts several blues events throughout the year, culminating in the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Fest. The festival attracts an average of about 85,000 people per day over its three-day run; it

568-647: A less confrontational stance with the federal government, particularly during the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson , with each of whom he remained cordial, and both of whom carried Arkansas. In the 1956 general election, Faubus, having already beaten Jim Johnson, overwhelmed GOP candidate Roy Mitchell, later the GOP state chairman from Hot Springs , 321,797 (80.7%) to 77,215 (19.4%). In 1958, he defeated Republican George W. Johnson of Greenwood in Sebastian County by drawing 82.5% of

639-488: A new source of revenue for Arkansas Delta farmers, along with poultry production. The Delta has some of the lowest population densities in the American South , sometimes fewer than 1 person per square mile. Slightly more than half the population is African American, reflecting their deep history in the area. Eastern Arkansas has the most cities in the state with majority African-American populations. Urbanization and

710-2031: Is interred at the Combs Cemetery in Combs, Arkansas. 1954 Democratic Primary for Governor Francis Cherry (inc.) 47% Orval Faubus 34% Guy H. "Mutt" Jones 13% Gus McMillan 6% 1954 Democratic Primary Runoff for Governor Orval Faubus 51% Francis Cherry 49% 1954 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 62% Pratt Remmel (R) 38% 1956 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus (inc.) 58% James D. Johnson 26% Jim Snoddy 14% Stewart K. Prosser 1% Ben Pippin 1% 1956 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 81% Roy Mitchell (R) 19% 1958 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus (inc.) 69% Chris Finkbeiner 16% Lee Ward 15% 1958 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 82% George W. Johnson (R) 18% 1960 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus (inc.) 59% Joe Hardin 16% Bruce Bennett 14% H.E. Williams 8% Hal Millsap 2% 1960 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 69% Henry Britt (R) 31% 1962 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus (inc.) 52% Sid McMath 21% Dale Alford 19% Vernon H. Whitten 5% Kenneth Coffelt 2% David A. Cox 1% 1962 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 73% Willis "Bubs" Ricketts (R) 27% 1964 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus (inc.) 66% Odell Dorsey 19% Joe Hubbard 10% R.D. Burrow 4% 1964 General Election for Governor Orval Faubus (D) 57% Winthrop Rockefeller (R) 43% 1970 Democratic Primary for Governor Orval Faubus 36% Dale Bumpers 20% Joe Purcell 19% Hayes C. McClerkin 10% Bill Wells 8% Bob Compton 4% J. M. Malone 2% W.S. Cheek 1% 1970 Democratic Primary Runoff for Governor Dale Bumpers 58% Orval Faubus 42% 1974 Democratic Primary for Governor David Pryor 51% Orval Faubus 33% Bob C. Riley 16% 1986 Democratic Primary for Governor Bill Clinton (inc.) 61% Orval Faubus 34% W. Dean Goldsby 5% List of governors of Arkansas The governor of Arkansas

781-491: Is rated in the top 10 music events in the nation by festivals.com. Gospel music , the mother of Delta Blues, is enshrined in the lives and social fabric of residents. Many popular Delta artists in all other genres had their start singing or playing in church choirs and quartets. Given the historic racism and entrenched segregation in the Delta, the African-American church and, by extension, its music, have taken on

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852-785: Is subdivided into five unique sub-regions, including the St. Francis River Basin, Crowley's Ridge , the White River Lowlands , the Grand Prairie , and the Arkansas River Lowlands (also called "the Delta Lowlands"). The underlying impermeable clay layer in the Stuttgart soil series that allowed the region to be a flat grassland plain initially appeared to stunt the region's growth relative to

923-605: Is that the Federal Constitution will be upheld by me by every legal means at my command." This was a response to Faubus's concerns about being taken into custody and his telephones being wired. Eisenhower did say in his telegram that the Department of Justice was collecting facts as to why there was a failure to comply with the courts. This led to the September 14 conference where Faubus and Eisenhower discussed

994-622: Is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arkansas . The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Arkansas government and is charged with enforcing state laws. They have the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Arkansas General Assembly , to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment. The state has had 46 elected governors, as well as 11 acting governors who assumed powers and duties following

1065-607: The 1812 New Madrid earthquake , which was felt throughout the region and taken as a portent. Some Native Americans considered the earthquake to be a sign of punishment for trading with the European settlers. The beginning point of all subsequent surveys of the Louisiana Purchase was placed in the Arkansas Delta near Blackton . In 1993 this site was named a National Historic Landmark and later preserved as Louisiana Purchase State Park . A granite marker, accessible via

1136-727: The Arkansas River just outside Little Rock down through Pine Bluff . There the border shifts to Bayou Bartholomew , stretching south to the Arkansas - Louisiana state line. While the Arkansas Delta shares many geographic similarities with the Mississippi Delta , it is distinguished by its five unique sub-regions: the St. Francis Basin, Crowley's Ridge, the White River Lowlands, the Grand Prairie and

1207-721: The Great Depression , benefited from the New Deal's Agricultural Adjustment Act , which paid them to leave fields fallow, thereby raising the price of cotton by reducing the supply. The effect was devastating for sharecroppers and tenant farmers. In response, two young Socialists , advised by Norman Thomas , the leader of the Socialist Party , formed the Southern Tenant Farmers Union . They organized racially integrated meetings throughout

1278-503: The Little Rock Crisis . He was elected to six two-year terms as governor. Orval Eugene Faubus was born in the northwest corner of Arkansas near the village of Combs to John Samuel and Addie ( née Joslen) Faubus. Although Sam Faubus was a socialist, and enrolled Orval at the socialist Commonwealth College , the latter went on to pursue a very different political path from that of his father. Faubus's first political race

1349-691: The Mississippi River from Eudora north to Blytheville and as far west as Little Rock . It is part of the Mississippi embayment , itself part of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain . The flat plain is bisected by Crowley's Ridge , a narrow band of rolling hills rising 250 to 500 feet (76 to 152 m) above the flat delta plains. Several towns and cities have been developed along Crowley's Ridge, including Jonesboro . The region's lower western border follows

1420-707: The Nodena site , Parkin Archaeological State Park , and Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park . French explorers and colonists encountered the historic Quapaw people in this region, who lived along the Arkansas River and its tributaries. The first European settlement in what became the state was the French trading center, Arkansas Post . The post was founded by Henri de Tonti while searching for Robert de La Salle in 1686. The commerce in

1491-480: The U.S. Civil War , numerous Delta counties had majority-black and enslaved populations. As Arkansas was developed later than some other areas of the Deep South, its wealthy planters did not construct as many grand plantation mansions as in other states. The American Civil War ended that antebellum period. The Civil War resulted in destruction to the river levees and other property damage. Expensive investment

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1562-400: The U.S. Supreme Court that separate schools were inherently unequal was motivated by considerations of political gain. The ensuing battle helped to shield him from the political fallout from a tax increase. Journalist Harry Ashmore (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his columns on the subject) portrayed the fight over Central High as a crisis manufactured by Faubus. Ashmore said that Faubus used

1633-417: The 1874 constitution removed any term limit . A referendum in 1992 limited governors to two terms. Until 1864, the constitutions provided that, should the office of governor be rendered vacant, the president of the senate would serve as acting governor until such time as a new governor was elected or the disability removed, or the acting governor's senate term expired. This led to some situations where

1704-572: The 1954 primary. In the 1954 campaign , Faubus was compelled to defend his attendance at the defunct Commonwealth College in Mena , as well as his early political upbringing. Commonwealth College had been formed by leftist academic and social activists, some of whom later were revealed to have had close ties with the Communist Party USA . Most of those who attended and taught there were idealistic young people who sought an education or, in

1775-486: The Arkansas Delta and signed up over 2,000 members. By 1935, the Southern Tenant Farmers' Union had over 10,000 members in 80 chapters. The union mounted a cotton pickers strike in the Delta in 1935, and after months marked by violence, the cotton pickers returned to the fields with considerably higher wages. But the union's power was greatly diminished by 1939. In the 1940s the mechanized cotton picker

1846-568: The Arkansas Delta, with black slaves forming the majority of the population in these counties. This region developed political interests different from outlying areas where yeomen farmers were concentrated. Many African Americans were brought into the Delta throughout the early-to-mid-19th century through the domestic slave trade, transported from the Upper South. The counties with the largest populations of slaves by 1860 included Phillips (8,941), Chicot (7,512), and Jefferson (7,146). Prior to

1917-639: The Arkansas River Lowlands (also called "the Delta Lowlands"). Much of the region is within the Mississippi lowland forests ecoregion. The Arkansas Delta includes the entire territories of 15 counties: Arkansas , Chicot , Clay , Craighead , Crittenden , Cross , Desha , Drew , Greene , Lee , Mississippi , Monroe , Phillips , Poinsett , and St. Francis . It also includes portions of another 10 counties: Jackson , Lawrence , Prairie , Randolph , White , Pulaski , Lincoln , Jefferson , Lonoke and Woodruff counties. The Delta

1988-645: The Court order in Newport, Rhode Island. The quoted "friendly and constructive discussion" led to Faubus claiming his desire to comply with his duty to the Constitution, personal opinions aside. Faubus did express his hope that the Department of Justice would be patient. He did stay true to his word and on September 21, President Eisenhower released a statement which announced that Faubus had withdrawn his troops,

2059-406: The Delta has made and continues to make a significant mark on the cultural landscape. The Arkansas Delta's country music roots have depth, with legendary performers coming from the area. While more geographically dispersed throughout the region, these artists represent the very best in country genres, including bluegrass , rockabilly , folk music , and alternative country . This music expresses

2130-530: The Delta, where local planters were trying to discourage the formation of an agricultural union among blacks. White mobs killed an estimated 237 blacks; five whites were killed in the unrest. The area suffered extensively during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , which put tens of thousands of acres underwater, caused extensive property damage, and left many people homeless. In the mid-1930s, large cotton plantations, under stress because of

2201-567: The Election Law of 1891, which required secret ballots, and standardized ballots, eliminating many illiterate voters. It also created a centralized election board, providing for consolidation of Democratic political power. Having reduced voter rolls, in 1892 the Democrats passed a poll tax amendment to the constitution, creating another barrier to voter registration for struggling white and black workers alike, many unable to pay such fees in

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2272-459: The Guard to keep blacks out of Central High School because he was frustrated by the success his political opponents were having in using segregationist rhetoric to arouse white voters. Faubus's decision led to a showdown with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and former Governor Sid McMath . On September 5, 1957, Eisenhower sent a telegram to Faubus in which he wrote "The only assurance I can give you

2343-498: The Little Rock School Board was carrying out desegregation plans, and local law was ready to keep order. On September 23, however, Little Rock Mayor Woodrow W. Mann sent a telegram to Eisenhower stating a mob had formed at Central High School. State police made efforts to control the mob, but for the safety of the newly enrolled children, they were sent home. The mayor stressed how this was a planned act and that

2414-676: The Native Americans. French trappers often married Quapaw women and lived in their villages, increasing their alliances for trade. Around 1800 United States settlers gradually entered this area. In 1803 the US acquired the territory from France by the Louisiana Purchase . As settlers began to acquire and clear land, they encroached on Quapaw territory and traditional hunting and fishing practices. The two cultures had divergent views of property. Relations deteriorated further after

2485-536: The Quapaw south to Louisiana in 1825-1826. The Quapaw returned to southeast Arkansas by 1830, but were permanently relocated to Oklahoma in 1833 under the Indian Removal Act passed by Congress. High cotton prices encouraged many planters to concentrate on cotton as a commodity crop, and the large plantations were dependent on slave labor . The plantation economy and a slave society were developed in

2556-523: The Quapaw. Territory officials began removing the Quapaw from their fertile homeland in the Arkansas delta. The Quapaw had inhabited lands along the Arkansas River and near its mouth at the Mississippi River for centuries. The invention of the cotton gin had made short-staple cotton profitable, and the Deep South was developed for cotton cultivation. It grew well in fertile delta soils. Settlers took these fertile lands for agriculture and pushed

2627-570: The Republican Willis Ricketts, a then 37-year-old pharmacist from Fayetteville in the general election. While Faubus was still shunned by black leaders, he nevertheless won a large percent of the black vote. In 1964, when he defeated the Republican Winthrop Rockefeller by a 57–43 percent margin, Faubus won 81 percent of the black vote. He even collected a share of the base Republican vote from

2698-537: The Union on June 15, 1836. The state seceded on May 6, 1861, and was admitted to the Confederacy on May 18, 1861. When Little Rock , the state capital, was captured on September 10, 1863, the state government relocated to Washington, Arkansas , and a Union government was installed in its place, causing an overlap in the terms of Confederate governor Harris Flanagin and Union governor Isaac Murphy . During

2769-518: The area was initially based on fishing and wild game. The fur trade and lumber later were critical to the economy. Early European-American settlers crossed the Mississippi and settled among the swamps and bayous of east Arkansas. Frontier Arkansas was a rough, lawless place infamous for violence and criminals. Settlers, who were mostly French and Spanish colonists, generally engaged in a mutually beneficial give-and-take trading relationship with

2840-490: The black students and enforce the federal court order. The Arkansas National Guard later took over protection duties from the 101st Airborne Division. In retaliation, Faubus shut down Little Rock high schools for the 1958–1959 school year. This is often referred to as "The Lost Year" in Little Rock. In a 1985 interview with a Huntsville, Arkansas, student, Faubus stated that the crisis was due to an "usurpation of power" by

2911-401: The case of the faculty, a job which came with room and board. During the runoff, Cherry and his surrogates accused Faubus of having attended a "communist" school and implied that his sympathies remained leftist. Faubus at first denied attending, and then admitted enrolling "for only a few weeks". Later, it was shown that he had remained at the school for more than a year, earned good grades, and

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2982-493: The chance to face Faubus directly. In his last race, 1986, he polled 174,402 votes (33.5 percent) to Clinton's 315,397 (60.6 percent). In 1984, Faubus was one of the few white politicians to support civil rights activist Jesse Jackson for President of the United States. He supported Jackson again in the 1988 Democratic primaries . Faubus, a life-long Southern Baptist , died of prostate cancer on December 14, 1994, and

3053-579: The conservative party members who had sided with former Republican state chairman William L. Spicer of Fort Smith , an intraparty rival of Rockefeller. During the 1960 presidential election, at a secret meeting held in a rural lodge near Dayton, Ohio, the National States Rights Party (NSRP) nominated Faubus for President and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral John G. Crommelin of Alabama for Vice President. Faubus, however, did not campaign on this ticket actively, and won only 0.07% of

3124-611: The federal government. The State knew forced integration by the federal government was going to meet with unfavorable results from the Little Rock public. In his opinion, Faubus was acting in the State's best interest at the time. Though Faubus later lost general popularity as a result of his support for segregation, at the time he was included among the "Ten Men in the World Most Admired by Americans", according to Gallup's most admired man and woman poll for 1958. This dichotomy

3195-645: The governor's office. The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket . Arkansas was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War , electing only candidates from the Democratic party. It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 92 years passed before voters chose another Republican. Arkansas Delta The region runs along

3266-452: The governorship changed hands in quick succession, due to senate terms ending or new senate presidents being elected. For example, after John Sebastian Little resigned in 1907, 3 senate presidents acted as governors before the next elected governor took office. Should the president of the senate be similarly incapacitated, the next in line for the governorship was the speaker of the state house of representatives. The 1864 constitution created

3337-446: The long-standing relationship between blues and country. R&B music has also had a presence as an outgrowth of the strong blues and gospel traditions. The East Central Delta area has produced a small number of talented and influential R&B artists. The Arkansas Delta economy is still dominated by agriculture. The main commodity crop is soybeans ; other crops include rice, cotton, and corn. Catfish farming has been developed as

3408-446: The office of lieutenant governor who would also act as president of the senate, and who would serve as acting governor in case of vacancy. The 1868 constitution maintained the position, but the 1874 constitution removed it and returned to the original line of succession. An amendment to the constitution, passed in 1914 but not recognized until 1925, recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who becomes governor in case of vacancy of

3479-463: The political right. It has been suggested that this sensitivity contributed to his later stance against integration when he was challenged by segregationist elements within his own party. Faubus’ challenger in the 1956 gubernatorial primary, Jim Johnson, called Faubus "a traitor to the Southern way of life," spurring Faubus to add a line to his standard speech: "No school district will be forced to mix

3550-571: The post-war Reconstruction period , it was part of the Fourth Military District . Arkansas was readmitted to the Union on June 22, 1868. The Arkansas Constitution of 1836 established four-year terms for governors, which was lowered to two years in the 1874, and current, constitution. An amendment in 1984 increased the terms of both governor and lieutenant governor to four years. Governors were originally limited only to serving no more than eight out of every twelve years, but

3621-523: The principal agitator, Jimmy Karam, was an associate of Governor Faubus. The mayor further stated his belief that there was no way the governor could not have been aware of this planned attack. In October 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to return to their armories which effectively removed them from Faubus's control. Eisenhower then sent elements of the 101st Airborne Division to Arkansas to protect

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3692-467: The public perception of both as segregationists, Wallace selected retired General Curtis LeMay . During the 1969 season, Faubus was hired by new owner Jess Odom to be general manager of his Li'l Abner theme park in the Ozark Mountains , Dogpatch USA . According to newspaper articles, Faubus was said to have commented that managing the park was similar to running state government because some of

3763-423: The races as long as I am governor of Arkansas." Faubus's name became internationally known during the Little Rock Crisis of 1957, when he used the Arkansas National Guard to stop African Americans from attending Little Rock Central High School as part of federally ordered racial desegregation. Many observers argued that Faubus's fight in Little Rock against the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision by

3834-485: The remainder of his life. When Faubus returned from the war, he cultivated ties with leaders of Arkansas' Democratic Party, particularly with progressive reform Governor Sid McMath , leader of the post-war "GI Revolt" against corruption, under whom he served as director of the state's highway commission. Meanwhile, conservative Francis Cherry defeated McMath's bid for a third term in the 1952 Democratic primary. Cherry became unpopular with voters, and Faubus challenged him in

3905-512: The resignation or death of the governor. Before becoming a state, Arkansas Territory had four governors appointed to it by the president of the United States . Orval Faubus (1955–1967) served the longest term as governor, being elected six times to serve 12 years. Bill Clinton (1979–1981; 1983–1992), elected five times over two distinct terms, fell only one month short of 12 years, and Mike Huckabee (1996–2007) served 10 years for two full four-year terms. The shortest term for an elected governor

3976-459: The rest of the Delta. But in 1897, William Fuller began cultivating rice , a crop that requires inundation, with great success. Rice cultivation still features prominently in the region's economy and culture today. Riceland Foods , the world's largest rice miller and marketer, is based in Stuttgart, Arkansas on the Grand Prairie. In the earth's history, after the Gulf of Mexico withdrew from what

4047-419: The same tricks applied to both. Faubus sought the governorship again in 1970, 1974, and 1986 but was defeated in the Democratic primaries by Dale Bumpers , David Pryor , and Bill Clinton , respectively, each of whom defeated Republican opponents. In the 1970 race, two other Democratic candidates in the running, Joe Purcell and Hayes McClerkin , failed to make the runoff, and Bumpers barely edged Purcell for

4118-806: The sharecropping world was already disappearing, and the landscape of today—huge fields, giant machines, battered towns, few people—beginning to emerge." The Arkansas Delta is known for its rich musical heritage. While defined primarily by its deep blues/gospel roots, it is distinguished somewhat from its Mississippi Delta counterpart by more intricately interwoven country music and R&B elements. Arkansas blues musicians have defined every genre of blues from its inception, including ragtime , hokum , country blues , Delta blues , boogie-woogie , jump blues , Chicago blues , and blues-rock . Eastern Arkansas' predominantly African-American population in cities such as Helena , West Memphis , Pine Bluff , Brinkley , Cotton Plant , Forrest City and others has provided

4189-526: The shift to mechanization of farm technology during the past 60 years has sharply reduced jobs in the Delta. People have followed jobs out of the region, leading to a declining tax base. This hampers efforts to support education, infrastructure development, community health and other vital aspects of growth. The region's remaining people suffer from unemployment, extreme poverty, and illiteracy. The Delta Cultural Center in Helena seeks to preserve and interpret

4260-411: The two men for years, but when Cherry died in 1965, Faubus put politics aside and was magnanimous in praising his predecessor. In the 1954 general election campaign against Little Rock Mayor Pratt Remmel , Faubus secured the endorsement of the previous 1950 and 1952 Republican gubernatorial nominee, Jefferson W. Speck, a planter from Mississippi County in eastern Arkansas. Faubus defeated Remmel by

4331-475: The vote (best in his native Arkansas: 6.76%), losing to the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ticket. Faubus chose not to run for re-election to a seventh term in what would likely have been a difficult race in 1966. Former gubernatorial candidate James D. Johnson , by then an elected Arkansas Supreme Court Justice, narrowly won the Democratic nomination over another justice, the moderate Frank Holt. Johnson

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4402-483: The votes. In 1962, Faubus broke with the White Citizens' Councils and other groups, who preferred, but did not officially endorse, U.S. Representative Dale Alford in that year's gubernatorial primary. Faubus cast himself as a moderate, he completely ignored the race issue during the 1962 election campaign, and barely secured a majority over Alford, McMath, and three other candidates. He then handily defeated

4473-512: Was Missouri, many floods occurred in the Mississippi River Delta, building up alluvial deposits. In some places the deposits measure 100 feet (30 m) deep. The region was occupied by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Some cultures built major earthwork mounds, with evidence of mound-building cultures dating back more than 12,000 years. These mounds have been preserved in three main locations:

4544-403: Was elected student body president. Faubus led a group of students who testified on behalf of the college's accreditation before the state legislature. Nevertheless, efforts to paint the candidate as a communist sympathizer backfired in a climate of growing resentment against such allegations. Faubus narrowly defeated Cherry to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Relations were cool between

4615-488: Was in 1936 when he contested a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives , which he lost. He was urged to challenge the result but declined, which earned him the gratitude of the Democratic Party. As a result, he was elected circuit clerk and recorder of Madison County , a post he held for two terms. His book, In This Faraway Land , documents the military period of his life. He was active in veterans' causes for

4686-589: Was introduced into regional agriculture. This led to a significant decline in demand for manual labor. During World War II, the defense industry in California and other western locations attracted many African-American workers from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas in a second wave of the Great Migration , resulting in a marked population decrease in the Delta. The lack of jobs continued to cause a decline. Charles Bowden of National Geographic wrote, "By 1970

4757-399: Was later summed up as follows: Faubus was both the "best loved" and "most hated" of Arkansas politicians of the second half of the twentieth century. The Little Rock Crisis inspired the song " Fables of Faubus " by jazz artist Charles Mingus . Faubus was elected governor to six two-year terms and hence served for twelve years. He maintained a defiant, populist image, while he shifted toward

4828-439: Was required to repair the levees. The region's continued reliance on agriculture kept wages low, and the cotton market did not recover. Many freedmen stayed in the area, working by sharecropping and tenant farming as a way of life. Like other states of the former Confederacy, the state legislature of Arkansas passed laws to disenfranchise most blacks and many poor whites, in an effort to suppress Republican voting. It passed

4899-477: Was split from the Missouri Territory on July 4, 1819. As territorial secretary from 1819 to 1829, Robert Crittenden served as acting governor whenever the appointed governor was not in the state. This meant that Crittenden was the first person to perform the duties of governor, since James Miller did not arrive in the territory until nine months after his appointment. Arkansas was admitted to

4970-404: Was the 38 days served by John Sebastian Little before his nervous breakdown ; one of the acting successors to his term, Jesse M. Martin , took office only three days before the end of the term, the shortest term overall. The current governor of Arkansas is Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders , who was sworn in on January 10, 2023. Arkansaw Territory (renamed Arkansas Territory, circa 1822)

5041-451: Was then defeated in the general election by Winthrop Rockefeller, who became the state's first GOP governor since Reconstruction. Years later, Johnson himself became a Republican and supported Governor Frank D. White , later a benefactor of Faubus. In the 1968 United States presidential election , Faubus was among five people considered for the vice-presidential slot of third-party presidential candidate George Wallace . However, in light of

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