Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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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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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New to Arkansas?

Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

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