- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Mitchell Honored by Organization of American Historians for Graphic History Book

John Hill — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:43:47 +0000

Dr. Brian Mitchell, associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has received an award for his graphic history book highlighting Oscar Dunn. The Organization of American Historians (OAH) has awarded “Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana” with an honorable mention from the 2022 OAH Civil War and Reconstruction Book Award Committee. “I am delighted that ‘Monumental’ has been embraced as widely as it has,” Mitchell said. “It is my fondest hope that teachers and professors around the nation add the book to their lesson plans and syllabi. I would also like to thank the members of the Organization of American Historians for bestowing this honor and recognizing ‘Monumental.’” Mitchell’s first graphic history book tells the story of Mitchell’s relative, Oscar Dunn, who emerged as a national political leader during the Reconstruction Era. Dunn was elected lieutenant governor of Louisiana in 1868. He also briefly served as acting governor and was the first Black man to serve in either position in American history. Mitchell worked with Nick Weldon, an editor, and Barrington Edwards, an illustrator, to bring Dunn’s story to life in the 256-page book. “Seeing ‘Monumental’ receive a national honor such as this further validates the years of work our team poured into it,” Wheldon said. “Also, I hope it will help more readers see how the stories of Dunn and Reconstruction in Louisiana are essential components of broader narratives about race, power, and civil and political rights in American history.” The Organization of American Historians committee members described the book as an important story about Black communities and politics in a period of great historical transformation. “‘Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana’ is a graphic history that chronicles Oscar Dunn’s efforts to navigate the complexities of race and party as an African American politician during Reconstruction,” the committee members said. “A deeply researched community history plus the stunning visual narrative of Reconstruction combine to illuminate a compelling story of Black organizing, striving for political power and resilience in the face of white supremacist violence and political repression.” Mitchell received the award during the Organization of American Historians Conference on American History on April 3 in Boston. The book has earned several honors since it was published last year. The Louisiana Center for the Book also honored the book during the 2021 Library of Congress National Book Festival’s Great Reads from Great Places. In addition, “Monumental” is a 2022 Orbis Pictus Recommended Book (a shortlist created by the National Council of Teachers of English) and recipient of the Phillis Wheatley Book Award.

Faller Earns National Awards in 2021 National Federation of Press Women Conference

John Hill — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 13:43:01 +0000

A ��Vlog��ý Little Rock communications professional was one of many Arkansas professionals who received national awards from the National Federation of Press Women’s 2021 communications contest.�� Angelita Faller, news director at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, earned second place in the Writing, Specialty Articles, Science and Technology category for a story detailing the COVID-19 research of Dr. Nitin Agarwal and his student researchers in COSMOS (Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies) who are working to inform the public of scams and misinformation related to the coronavirus pandemic through a public website and a partnership with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office.�� The judges noted that, “The author has taken what might seem like a typical side topic of the global pandemic – misinformation about the virus – and turned it into a strong article that not only informs the reader, it might save lives.”�� She also earned an honorable mention in the Writing, Specialty Articles, Arts and Entertainment category for an article that describes Dr. Angela Hunter’s efforts to translate and publish the most complete edition of 18th-century French philosopher Louise Dupin’s unpublished treatise “Work on Women” and the $133,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities that will help complete the professor’s long-time research goal.�� A second honorable mention in the Writing, Speciality Articles, Religion category came for a story detailing fall 2020 graduate Jason Littleton’s research into the life of Arkansas missionary Pearle McCain. Arkansas journalists earned a total of 35 awards during the National Communications Contest sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women. The winners were among more than 2,000 entries in the 2021 national contest. State awards were presented June 10 during an awards ceremony hosted by the organization’s Arkansas affiliate, Arkansas Press Women, held at the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center. These national award-winning entries had previously placed first in the Arkansas Press Women’s 2021 professional communications contest before advancing to the NFPW competition. More than 50 Arkansas first-place entries competed at the national level. Faller took top honors during the Arkansas Press Women’s statewide contest, earning the 2021 Sweepstakes Award.�� She also earned the following honors in the 2021 Arkansas Press Women contest:

First Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, Science or Technology for “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Researchers Help Identify Covid-19 Misinformation and Myths in New Public Website”
First Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, Arts and Entertainment for “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor Receives National Endowment for Humanities Grant to Publish Book on Unpublished Works of Louise Dupin”
First Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, Religion for “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Grad Jason Littleton Details Heroic Life of Arkansas Missionary Pearle McCain”
First Place in Writing, Publications Regularly Written by Entrant Newsletter/other publication, non-profit, government, or educational for “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Now”
Second Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, Hobby for “��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Costume Shop Manager Creates Unique Line of Face Masks”
Second Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, History for “Professor’s Research Leads to Historic Marker for Elaine 12 Member Frank Moore”
Second Place in Writing, Specialty Articles, Social issues for “Care Team Makes Difference in Lives of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students in Need”
Second Place in Writing, Feature Story, Online publication for “Wilkerson Fulfills Dream of Earning College Degree 55 Years After Graduating High School”

Mitchell Selected for Phillis Wheatley Book Award for Graphic History Novel

John Hill — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:34:13 +0000

Dr. Brian Mitchell, associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, received the for his nonfiction graphic history on May 21.�� Mitchell’s first graphic history book, “Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana,” was published earlier this year. The book tells, for the first time, the incredible story of Oscar James Dunn, a New Orleanian born into slavery who became America’s first Black lieutenant governor and acting governor. The Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage grants the Phillis Wheatley Book Award to books published within the last five years covering the topic of American slavery. “You should be justifiably proud that you have written a fantastic and award-winning book,” said Dr. Evelyn McDowell, president of Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.�� Published by The Historic New Orleans Collection, Mitchell worked with Nick Weldon, an editor, and Barrington Edwards, an illustrator, to bring Dunn’s story to life in the 256-page graphic novel. Emancipated at age 10, Dunn emerged as a national political figure during the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War. A champion of universal suffrage, civil rights, and integrated public schools, Dunn fought for radical change during the early years of Reconstruction in Louisiana, a post–Civil War era rife with corruption, subterfuge, and violence. A graphic history informed by newly discovered primary sources, the book resurrects, in vivid detail, Louisiana and New Orleans after the Civil War—and presents an iconic American life that never should have been forgotten. Contextual essays and a map and timeline add layers of depth to the narrative. “Monumental” is a story of determination, scandal, betrayal, and how one man’s principled fight for equality and justice may have cost him everything.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host Jan. 19 roundtable discussion on 2020 election

John Hill — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 21:04:40 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of History will host a roundtable discussion to talk about the historical significance of the 2020 election cycle.

The roundtable, “Election 2020: An Immediate History,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19. Moderated by Dr. Jess Porter, chair of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of History, the event will feature history professors Drs. David Baylis, John Kirk, Brian Mitchell, and Jim Ross.

The roundtable discussion features the first event for the 2021 Evenings with History Lecture Series.

Those interested in attending the roundtable may register��. For more information, Contact Dr. Michael Heil at��mwheil@ualr.edu.

Vanity Fair recognizes Black history podcast featuring a University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor

John Hill — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 17:07:08 +0000

Vanity Fair has identified eight podcasts to deepen a person’s , and one contains a voice familiar to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The podcast, “Blackbelt Voices,” hosted by Adena White, Kara Wilkins, and Katrina Dupins, is one of the featured podcasts. White is a graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a master’s degree in applied communication studies. The episode Vanity Fair recommends people listen to is which reviews the country’s history of racial violence with Dr. Brian Mitchell, professor of history at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Mitchell provides a historical perspective on the George Floyd protests and what he thinks will happen next. The propagates the richness of Black Southern culture by telling the stories of Black folks down South. Through first-person narratives and in-depth conversations, hosts Adena J. White, Kara Wilkins, and Katrina Dupins share the experiences of Black Southerners living in, loving, and reconciling with the region we call home. “These eight podcasts illuminate stories from Black history with the same urgency, care, and impact as 1619, and more often than not, bring a deeply personal perspective to national history,” Justine Goode wrote in Vanity Fair. “We’ve also chosen to highlight episodes that discuss the histories of protests, civil disobedience, uprising, and people fighting to make change, all of which help to further contextualize our current moment in American history. Thanks to these storytellers, historians, and journalists, learning about Black history has never been more accessible or dynamic.

Professor’s research leads to historic marker for Elaine 12 member Frank Moore

John Hill — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 17:41:31 +0000

An historic marker was unveiled March 6 at Little Rock National Cemetery to signify the location where Frank Moore, a member of the Elaine 12, is buried.�� Moore, a World War I veteran, was one of a dozen men who were convicted of murder and sentenced to death for their alleged roles in the deaths of five white men during the 1919 Elaine Massacre, the deadliest racial conflict in Arkansas history. A precedent-setting Supreme Court decision named for Moore (Moore vs. Dempsey) would later overturn their convictions. “This was one of the first victories that the NAACP will have,” said Dr. Brian Mitchell, assistant professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “It is one of the first national blows that will be struck against lynching in America.” During the fall 2018 semester, Mitchell, along with students from his Intro to Public History class, conducted research to locate the graves of the Elaine 12. After combing through public records, databases, and even cemeteries, they found six grave sites. Mitchell then created the Elaine 12 Foundation at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to raise money to place historic markers at the sites. Moore is the first of the Elaine 12 to receive a marker. Moore served as a private in the 162nd Depot Brigade during World War I. After being honorably discharged, he moved to Phillips County, where he sharecropped on the farm of Billy Archdale. As harvest got closer, the planter drove away most of the sharecropping families by exaggerating their debts at the plantation store. Many families were left starving and abandoned their homes and crops. In May 1919, Moore became ill and asked Archdale to borrow $10 to go to the hospital. Archdale refused. Moore borrowed money from a friend, and his wife laid rows of cotton and tended the crops while Moore recovered in the hospital. He was among the first of the sharecroppers in the area to join the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America, and was present at the fateful union meeting on Sept. 30, 1919. When local police officers interrupted the meeting, a shootout occurred, sparking the Elaine Massacre. An unknown number of black people were killed, though experts have estimated the number is between 100 and 237.

Brian Mitchell, middle, talks about the significance of a historic marker for Frank Moore, a member of the Elaine 12, placed March 6 in Little Rock National Cemetery. Photo by Ben Krain.

“Members of the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America hired an attorney because they wanted to do things the right thing,” Mitchell said. “They didn’t plan an insurrection like the newspapers reported. These events cost many people their lives. To this day, we don’t even know how many people lost their lives in the Elaine Massacre.” Moore’s marker was the 10th marker placed in the Division of Arkansas Heritage’s program to assist communities in the placement of historical markers across the state. It is also a part of the Arkansas Peace & Justice Memorial Movement’s “Seeing AR History in 20/20” Campaign. ��“This marker is an important one to the Arkansas Historical Marker Program,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. “Last year was the 100th anniversary of the Elaine Race Massacre. We are reminded why we must remember our past and learn from it, even those parts that address the most terrible parts of our history.” With Moore’s marker now installed, the effort to place markers for the additional members of the Elaine 12 turns to Rev. Joseph Knox, who is buried at Little Rock’s Haven of Rest Cemetery. After his release from prison, Knox moved with his family to his hometown of Cotton Plant, Arkansas. Knox’s granddaughter, Dorothy Neal, was the only descendant of the Elaine 12 to attend the ceremony. She’s been in touch with Mitchell after hearing about his research, and is pleased to know that her grandfather will be honored, especially since he and his fellow sharecroppers were just trying to do the right thing and get equal pay for their cotton. “It just warms your heart to know that he’s not forgotten, even though a lot of people don’t know him, didn’t know anything about him just until lately,” Neal said. Donations to the Elaine 12 Foundation can be made online by selecting College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences in the drop down box and then typing in “Elaine 12” in the Fund Other box. Checks can be made out to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with “Elaine 12” written in the descriptive information line. Checks can be mailed to University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Office of Alumni and Development, 2801 S. University, Little Rock, AR 72204.

Brian Mitchell, left, and Dorothy Neal, right, visit the grave of Frank Moore at Little Rock National Cemetery. Photo by Ben Krain.

Historic marker to be placed at Little Rock National Cemetery to honor Elaine 12 member Frank Moore

John Hill — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:00:23 +0000

Brian Mitchell, assistant professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who has conducted extensive research on the Elaine Massacre, has long waited for the day when Frank Moore, a member of the Elaine 12, would be honored with a historic marker at his final resting place.�� The Division of Arkansas Heritage and the Elaine 12 Foundation will place Moore’s marker during a ceremony at noon on Friday, March 6, at Little Rock National Cemetery, 2523 Springer Blvd. During his fall 2018 Intro to Public History Class, Mitchell and his students searched through public records, databases, and cemeteries to locate the missing graves of the Elaine 12. Through their hard work, they located the graves of six members of the Elaine 12. Mitchell created the Elaine 12 Foundation at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2018 to raise funds to place markers on the graves of the Elaine 12 and headstone on the graves of those without. “Frank Moore will be the first of the Elaine 12 to receive a marker,” Mitchell said. “Moore is the namesake of Moore vs. Dempsey, the landmark Supreme Court case that ultimately granted these men clemency.”�� Moore, a World War I veteran buried at Little Rock National Cemetery in 1932, moved to Phillips County after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. He worked on a farm and was a member of the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America. On Sept. 30, 1919, local police officers interrupted a union meeting, and a shootout occurred, sparking the Elaine Massacre.�� Moore and 11 other union members were charged with first-degree murder for their alleged roles in the deaths of white men involved in the killings. The men’s death sentences were eventually overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, and all men were released from prison by 1925. Moore’s marker will be the 10th marker placed in the Division of Arkansas Heritage’s program to assist communities in the placement of historical markers across the state since it was introduced last year. Markers are sponsored by civic groups and organizations, who split the cost of the markers with the Division of Arkansas Heritage.�� “This marker is an important one to the Arkansas Historical Marker Program,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “Last year was the 100th anniversary of the Elaine Race Massacre. We are reminded why we must remember our past and learn from it, even those parts that address the most terrible parts of our history.” Following Moore’s ceremony, Mitchell hopes to next honor Joseph Knox, a member of the Elaine 12 who is buried at Little Rock’s Haven of Rest Cemetery. Additional members of the Elaine 12 are buried in Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio.�� Locating the graves of the Elaine 12 has been a difficult task. Following their release from prison, most members of the Elaine 12 fled the state and changed their names. Many of them lived the rest of their lives in exile, fearing for their safety, with their family members never knowing what happened to them.�� Mitchell plans to take up the search again this summer to locate the remaining grave sites. The Elaine 12 Foundation has raised enough money for three markers, but hopes to eventually place markers at all 12 burial sites. “It is a significant project because up until this point, we have only known their names and haven’t known what happens after their release from jail after they are on death row,” Mitchell said. “Some of the graves we’ve found don’t have a headstone, so to be able to put a headstone as well as a marker would be meaningful.” Donations to the Elaine 12 Foundation can be made online by selecting College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences in the drop down box and then typing in “Elaine 12” in the Fund Other box. Checks can be made out to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with “Elaine 12” written in the descriptive information line. Checks can be mailed to University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Office of Alumni and Development, 2801 S. University, Little Rock, AR 72204.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock releases virtual exhibit to commemorate history of Elaine Massacre

John Hill — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 14:31:15 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture has launched a virtual exhibit to commemorate the 1919 Elaine Massacre, the deadliest racial conflict in Arkansas history. The exhibit, “,” is an interactive experience based on historical resources, including photographs, scholarly essays, and educational resources that can be used by historians, teachers, and students. “The Elaine project took well over a year to create,” said Dr. Deborah Baldwin, director of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture. “The 100th anniversary of the Elaine Massacre and the Red Summer took place last year, and we worked collaboratively with a variety of people at the university, the city of Little Rock, and partnering institutions to tell the history of Elaine Massacre and racial violence in Arkansas.” Scholarly essays written by professors and historians shed light on racial violence in Arkansas and the world, sharecropping, black labor organization, a comparison of white and black newspaper coverage of the conflict, the exodus of the black population from Phillips County, and the implications of the Moore vs. Dempsey Supreme Court ruling in 1923. The landmark ruling freed the Elaine 12, a dozen sharecroppers who were convicted of murder and sentenced to death by an all-white jury following the Elaine Massacre. In order to explore the effects of racial violence Arkansas during the 19th century, the exhibit includes a map that shows incidents of racial violence in the state from 1904 to the present. Racial conflict in the early 20th century, Jim Crow laws, and a lack of economic opportunities caused many black Arkansans to flee the state to cities in the north. A second interactive map shows how the Great Migration caused a sharp decrease in the state’s black population between 1910 and 1980. In 1910, black people consisted of 28.1 percent of the state’s population, which dropped to 16.3 percent in 1980. Pulaski County’s 1910 black population of 40.9 percent dropped to 23.9 percent by 1980. “What the center does best is to use primary source materials, mapping, and other educational materials and put them together in a fashion that gives people a good scope of the issue,” Baldwin said. “We do it well, and we do it via web exhibits that are very accessible to the general public, students, teachers, researchers, and historians.” An unprecedented number of racial violence against black people occurred across the country during 1919, leading the violence to be called the Red Summer. The Elaine Massacre began on Sept. 30, 1919, when a group of law enforcement officers interrupted a meeting of the Progressive Farmers and Household Union at a church in Hoop Spur, near Elaine. “The union’s goals were to help members obtain fair wages and treatment within the sharecropping system,” said Brian Mitchell, assistant professor of history at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock who was one of the contributors to the exhibit. “The black farmers who joined the union believed that by combining their financial resources, they could afford to hire legal representation and sue their plantation owners for stolen wages and spurious accounting of their debts.” Black sharecroppers met to discuss unionizing. In the confrontation, one of the officers was killed and a second wounded. Local telegraph operators contacted law enforcement in neighboring towns and the governor’s office. A mob of hundreds of white men poured into the county to suppress an alleged black revolt. At the end of the violence, five white men and an unknown number of black people were dead, though the number is estimated to be in the hundreds. The virtual exhibit was made in partnership with the Arkansas Humanities Council and funded by a grant from the Democracy and the Informed Citizen Initiative by the Federation of State Humanities Council and a grant by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Mitchell attends State of the Union as Rep. Hill’s Guest

John Hill — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 17:46:20 +0000

Dr. Brian Mitchell, an assistant professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, attended the State of the Union on Feb. 4. U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, invited Mitchell as his guest. In addition to the State of the Union, Mitchell also visited the Smithsonian National Museum of African History and Culture and the U.S. House of Representatives. Mitchell and Hill have worked together in recent years to honor black World War I soldiers whose history has been overlooked. In 2018, the duo worked together to obtain a Purple Heart and other medals for the family of Pvt. Leroy Johnston, a World War I veteran who was killed in the Elaine Massacre with his three brothers just months after coming home from the war. Johnston earned several military honors for his service to his country, but did not receive them at the time of his discharge or death due to racial discrimination. This collaboration was the inspiration for Hill’s introduction of the World War I Valor Medals Review Act, which reviews the military records of all minority service members during World War I to determine if they received the proper recognition. The act was included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. “Dr. Mitchell’s partnership was instrumental in the World War I Valor Medals Review Act being signed into law in December,” Congressman Hill said. “His work advocating on behalf of victims of past racial discrimination sets right injustices perpetrated against African Americans and other minority groups. Only by acknowledging tragedy can we begin to heal and move forward together towards a more hopeful future.” Mitchell and Hill are now working to recognize the contributions of Scipio Jones, a black attorney who rose to national prominence after successfully defending the Elaine 12, a dozen men who were sentenced to death by all-white juries after the Elaine Massacre.

Mitchell honors ancestor’s place in New Orleans history

John Hill — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 14:24:08 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor is bringing to light the long, forgotten accomplishments of a historically significant family member by participating in a public project striving to preserve the erased history of New Orleans. is a public art and public history project designed to elevate the voices of the people of New Orleans. The project sought public proposals for prospective monuments, memorials, and public art that honors the erased histories of the people, places, movements, and events of New Orleans’ 300-year history. In the Paper Monument Posters project, a team of designers, artists, urbanists, and educators have been working since July 2017 to pair scholarly narratives and locally commissioned artwork in telling lost or obscured stories of New Orleans history. One post tells the story of , the country’s first black lieutenant governor and the three-times great uncle of Brian Mitchell, an assistant professor of history at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “My great uncle was the equivalent to Barack Obama in his time, but it wasn’t until I got to college that I began hearing about these political figures in any sort of detail,” Mitchell said. Mitchell, along with artist Jeremy Paten, recently published a Paper Monument Poster highlighting the life and achievements of Dunn in New Orleans’ history. “The Paper Monuments project is a creative attempt to deal with reimagining public spaces formerly used to display Confederate monuments,” Mitchell said. “The project paired historians with artists to tell the stories that they believe are worthy of public commemoration, in hopes that knowledge of the people and events commemorated by the project will shape the selection of monuments selected to replace the ones removed.” Dunn was born a slave in 1822 in New Orleans. On Feb. 5, 1831, Oscar Dunn was purchased by his stepfather, James Dunn, a free black stage carpenter. After he was emancipated in 1832, Dunn attended one of the city’s free schools, but was apprenticed to a master plasterer at 14. After the Civil War, Dunn began a business of writing contracts for freed slaves. His contracts assured former slaves that they would be paid fairly by plantation owners and required that education be provided to their children. Dunn was a rising political star who fought for public education for children, universal suffrage, and civil rights. Dunn was among the first black men appointed to political office within Louisiana’s Reconstruction government. In 1867, Dunn was elected to the New Orleans Board of Aldermen and was also installed as the assistant recorder of the city’s Second District Court, becoming the first black person to serve in a judicial capacity in the state. In July 1868, Dunn ran on the Republican gubernatorial ticket with Henry Warmoth and was elected Louisiana’s first black lieutenant governor. In office, Dunn opposed the de-facto re-enslavement of black children through agricultural apprenticeships and helped to form “The Bakery for the People,” a collected designed to foster economic independence. On Sept. 26, 1868, Gov. Warmoth vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, creating a schism within Louisiana’s Republican party. Dunn helped lead the faction that sought to remove Warmoth from office. In the event of Warmoth’s impeachment, Dunn, as lieutenant governor, would have become governor, making him the first black governor in the U.S. “By 1871, they had mustered enough support to impeach the governor,” Mitchell said. “Before Warmoth’s impeachment, Dunn became violently ill and quickly died, leading many to speculate that he had been poisoned.” On the day of Dunn’s funeral, Nov. 23, 1871, a day of mourning was declared, closing all the city’s government offices. An estimated 50,000 people attended Dunn’s funeral, one of the largest in New Orleans history. What Mitchell finds most ironic about participating in the Paper Monuments is that Dunn was originally meant to have a monument. Louisiana allocated $10,000 to build a monument to honor Dunn, but it was never built. Overall, Mitchell loved participating in the project and hopes that a similar public project will begin in Arkansas to commemorate the state’s forgotten heroes. “I loved the idea and believe it would be wonderful if Arkansas created a similar project to showcase the state’s little known historical events and figures,” Mitchell said.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock