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This Day in Arkansas History

September 18, 1942

The Rohwer Relocation Center in Desha County, one of two World War II–era incarceration camps built in the state to house Japanese Americans, opened. The Japanese-American population, of which sixty-four percent were American citizens, had been forcibly removed from the West Coast of the United States under the doctrine of “military necessity” and incarcerated in ten relocation camps in California and various states west of the Mississippi River. This marked the largest influx of any racial or ethnic group in the state’s history.

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Camp Shaver

The tent city, located in City Park in Little Rock (Pulaski County) during the 1911 national United Confederate Veterans Reunion, was home to many of the 12,000 veterans who attended the reunion. The camp was named in honor of Colonel Robert Shaver of Mena (Polk County), commander of the Seventh Arkansas Infantry. In an attempt to make it easier for the aging soldiers to locate friends, the military style camp was organized by state, division, and corps. All of the amenities necessary for the comfort of the former soldiers were available for the duration of the reunion.

 

The tent city, located in City Park in Little Rock (Pulaski County) during the 1911 national United Confederate Veterans Reunion, was home to many of the 12,000 veterans who attended the reunion. The camp was named in honor of Colonel Robert Shaver of Mena (Polk County), commander of the Seventh Arkansas Infantry. In an attempt to make it easier for the aging soldiers to locate friends, the military style camp was organized by state, division, and corps. All of the amenities necessary for the comfort of the former soldiers were available for the duration of the reunion.

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About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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