Who We Are
The Center for Arkansas History and Culture (CAHC) was established on campus in December 1978 and relocated downtown in March 2009. Following the opening of its digital services lab in 2014, CAHC has prioritized digitizing and making accessible its collections, as well as the staff and technology to support these priorities.
Over the following years, CAHC has positioned itself as the state’s premier teaching archive. It continues to develop hands-on training experience for its students, positioning them to attain the credentials for competitive placement upon graduation.
Mission Statement
The UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture collects, keeps safe, and makes available Arkansas history. We connect people to each other and their shared experiences.
Vision Statement
The UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture is a unique and reliable resource that explores and promotes Arkansas’s rich history through the identification, collection, and preservation of records that are of enduring value to the state.
As a leader in archival practice and education, we prepare students for careers in public history. Professionals seek our collaboration on best practices and archival technologies. We are a good neighbor to other libraries, archives, and museums. We provide access to a large repository of archival materials. The public can use these records to better understand Arkansas’s journey. Our collections document our history, but can also guide the state’s future.
CAHC is a leader in community engagement. We participate in outreach and programming and create virtual and physical exhibits using state-of-the-art technology. We help people of our state and beyond actively engage in the history and culture of Arkansas.
Our Collections
The CAHC collects and makes available to the public resources on Arkansas history and the region. Our strengths include agriculture and the environment, arts and entertainment, business and professions, education, government and politics, military, personal and family papers, religion, and women’s studies.
Most notable among these holdings are the gubernatorial collections. CAHC houses the papers of five former Arkansas governors: Carl Bailey, Winthrop Rockefeller, Dale Bumpers, Frank White, and Jim Guy Tucker. In addition, the Center holds Lieutenant Governor Winthrop Paul Rockefeller’s papers.
Additionally, CAHC contains a wealth of material related to Arkansas’s experience in the Civil War. The J.N. Heiskell Civil War Collection is one of the most extensive in the Civil War holdings. Containing both Union and Confederate documents, the collection includes a number of unique documents that add new dimensions to the history of the Civil War in Arkansas.
Our materials include letters, legal documents, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, pamphlets, books, journals, and newspapers. In total, the collections comprise about 10,000 linear feet, 70,000+ images, and approximately 8,000 books.
Participate
The CAHC welcomes your participation in the preservation of Arkansas history. Here’s how you can help:
• Donate – Our collection development policy will help you determine whether you may have papers, photographs, or other artifacts that could be donated to the center’s archives.
• Support – Our development fund allows us to expand our holdings, support processing, public programming, and acquire technology to digitize our holdings.
Staff Directory
Main number: 501-320-5780
Email: [email protected]
Jess Porter, Ph.D.
Executive Director
[email protected]
Emily Summers, M.A.
Head Archivist
[email protected]
China Higginbotham, B.A.
Assistant Director for Finance and Administration
[email protected]
James Wethington, M.L.I.S.
Archivist and Engagement Coordinator
[email protected]
Amanda McQueen, M.A., Ph.D
Archivist and Student Coordinator
[email protected]
Caitlin Robertson, M.A.
Digital Records Specialist
[email protected]
Katie Moseby, M.L.I.S., M.A.
Assistant Archivist
[email protected]