Nationwide, Little Rock is best known for its role in the civil rights movement in the 1950s. But even for locals, there are many other pieces to the story of race in Little Rock that go untold.
It’s a complex topic with a lot more at play than is listed below, but if you’re looking to understand the makeup of our city, these resources will help get the conversation started.
“Dream Land: Little Rock’s West 9th Street”
You probably know of downtown’s Dreamland Ballroom, how it once played host to names like Ella Fitzgerald, B.B. King and Duke Ellington. But Taborian Hall, as it was then called, is now all that’s left of a vibrant African-American business district. Arkansas PBS has this full 57-minute documentary available for free on YouTube. Watch the trailer above and watch the full doc here.
View this post on Instagram
I-630
According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, “Analysts of the city’s demographics have argued that Interstate 630 serves as a potent physical and psychological divider in the social fabric of the state’s largest city.” But you don’t have to be an analyst to see that. Brush up with a quick history on the eight-mile-long expressway that made a poignant appearance in this week’s protests. Read it here.
The Pankey Community
Once a thriving neighborhood, the Pankey community in west Little Rock is now home to everyday commercial development, surrounded by the likes of Starbucks and New Balance. All but a ghost town, the area has its own unique history set before the rest of the city moved west. Read more here.