Arkansas: A Concise History

by Jeannie M. Whayne, Thomas A. Deblack, George Sabo III

Distilled from A Narrative History , the definitive work on the subject since its original publication in 2002, A Concise History is a succinct one-volume history of the state from the prehistory period to the present. Featuring four historians, each bringing his or her expertise to a range of topics, this volume introduces readers to the major issues that have confronted the state and traces the evolution of those issues across time. After a brief review of Arkansas’s natural history, readers will learn about the state’s native populations before exploring the colonial and plantation eras, early statehood, Arkansas’s entry into and role in the Civil War, and significant moments in national and global history, including Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, the Elaine race massacre, the Great Depression, both world wars, and the Civil Rights Movement. Linking these events together, A Concise History offers both an understanding of the state’s history and a perspective on that history’s implications for the political, economic, and social realities of today.

415 pages, Paperback

Published April 26, 2019

Reviews

[avery]

Yes I did read this for a class… but it was quite interesting!

Definitely a read for Arkansas History Lovers! :)

[J.J.]

Lightyears better than Harry Ashmore’s one-volume (bicentennial) offering—which seems derived (poorly) from John Gould Fletcher’s poetic 1947 work anyway. This book is well worth your time… though it does, itself, indicate that it’s derived from Arkansas: a Narrative History (2002) and claims that single-volume history of Arkansas to be “the definitive work on the subject.” This volume covers up through the Beebe governorship though. Highly recommended… for now at least, as I haven’t read that 2002 book yet.

[*]

I read this as preparation for my move to Arkansas. It provided a thorough overview of the state's history, enabling me to connect the past with the present. I'd also recommend this book for anyone interested in exploring the lasting effects of colonial economies in the South.

[J.M. Hushour]

Project Read-a-History-of-Every-State-in-Order-of-Statehood #25

[James Lamb]

Good Basic History of Arkansas

Enjoyed learning more about Arkansas than I was taught in school. Was reasonably easy to read and well put together.