Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Sustaining O-Gah-Pah: An Analysis Of Quapaw Language Loss And Preservation, Robert Desoto

Honors Theses

The story of the Quapaw, or Downstream People, and their language is an integral part of both the American Indian experience and the larger, universal tapestry of multilingualism. Despite historical setbacks and contemporary challenges, preserving the virtually extinct Quapaw language adds to the diverse cultural narrative of the Americas and shares a nation’s unique story with the rest of humanity. Consulting linguists, historical records, tribal members, and experts on indigenous studies, this project aims to answer questions concerning the state of the Quapaw tongue: how it arrived at virtual extinction, what is being done to preserve it, and the challenges …

Ticket Splitting In Arkansas Elections, Chase Carmichael

Honors Theses

The Republican Party is sweeping the South, or is it? Throughout the Old South Republicans have been making gains in an area that has traditionally been a bastion of Democratic strength in American politics. While Arkansas may appear to be following this trend, in reality GOP gains in the Natural State may be only superficial. Despite strong showings by Republican candidates for higher offices in Arkansas, a GOP contender has yet to win a statewide office past the Lieutenant Governor's race.

This research paper examines "ticket splitting" in Arkansas elections. Ticket splitting is the practice of voting for candidates of …

A Tale Of Two Governors: The 1996 Gubernatorial Succession Crisis, Melissa Miller

Honors Theses

The state of Arkansas is no stranger to succession crises. As early as the Reconstruction era, struggles for power emerged, and controversies surrounding the appropriate use of power among acting governors have kept the issue unsettled. One such instance, the Arkansas gubernatorial succession crisis of 1996 became yet another episode in this saga. While never fully examined, the succession crisis did influence modern politics in the state. There are two sides to every story: "Well, I wanted to let you know I've decided not to resign," Jim Guy Tucker said to Mike Huckabee only five minutes before the inauguration of …

Transitions From Isolation: An Ethnographic Study Of A Contemporary Ouachita Mountains Hillman Culture, Reyda L. Taylor

Honors Theses

[Excerpt] Among these American hillmen descendants is the MacCleod Family (pseudonym). In early 2001, I heard stories about a clan that lived in the Ouachita woods like "savages." Not originally from Arkansas, I had often heard scornful jokes about Arkansas being a backward state. This perpetuated stereotype enticed m to find out if these extreme MacCleod tales were true. What I found in the region from which the stories originated was a large extended family. I also found that the stories I initially heard were not the only inflated tales circulating the region regarding this particular group. As I become …

Slavery In Hempstead County, Arkansas, Dena White

Honors Theses

A great number of general works on American Negro slavery have been published, but most are based upon records from the plantation belt. With the notable exception of Orville Taylor's Negro Slavery in Arkansas, these works almost entirely ignore Arkansas. Although slavery had certain uniformity throughout the South, the study of these previously untouched areas add to, and may eventually modify, our knowledge of the Old South's "peculiar institution."

A relatively new concept among historians is the study of slavery at the local, or county, level. Alfred North Whitehead has written, "We think in generalities, but we live in …

William Jennings Bryan: "Among Friends" In Arkansas, C. J. Hall

Honors Theses

Campaign style has changed dramatically since the turn of the century when William Jennings Bryan captured the political limelight. Bryan, a three time Democratic nominee for President, developed a new campaign tactic during the 1896 Presidential election; he continued to employ the new style for the remainder of his life. In 1896 Bryan's political organization could not compete with the well-financed Republican system, so the "Great Commoner" took his cause to the people. Presidential candidates were not supposed to actively campaign for the office, but Bryan broke the norm. After the 1896 election, Bryan continued to travel around the country …

Arkansas Politics And The Code Duello, Vincent C. Henderson Ii

Honors Theses

Many methods have been found by which two men may solve a dispute between them. The methods can be broadly divided as either violent or nonviolent. Among the violent methods, dueling was considered in the nineteenth century in Arkansas as a proper means of solving disputes concerning politics, honor, and family, as well as trivial matters.

Dueling was not common in Arkansas alone. People practiced it in many states. By 1819 dueling had become a Southern institution. As an institution, dueling had certain rules and regulations. Several books were published on the subject. Among these were An Essay on the …

Temperance In Pre-Civil War Arkansas, Janis Percefull

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Little Rock School District 1966-1968 Elections And Their Effect On Public School Policy, Ray Earl Garner

OBU Graduate Theses

For many years, the school elections in Little Rock have followed a traditional pattern of meager voter turnout . School elections, prior to the 1967 election, were mentioned briefly in newspaper articles. The platforms were of the same general nature year after year. They included taxes, school expansion, better facilities, and higher teacher salaries. Candidates seldom, if ever, campaigned publicly and actively. Posters were usually placed throughout the city. A few days prior to the election, newspaper ads with the candidates' pictures would appear in the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Gazette. The 1967 school election was significant, because that …

A Study Of The Role Of Churches In The Enactment Of The Arkansas Prohibition Law Of 1917, Ralph Bradley Hoshaw

OBU Graduate Theses

Churches have been involved in the moral and ethical standards of the United States and its political subdivisions since the formation of the nation. Major questions about the churches' involvement as a social force in the nation or in the community concern: (1) the degree of involvement, (2) the methods employed and (3) the relative effectiveness of church influence upon the mores and laws of any society or state. To answer these questions, a historical study must be made of a particular moral problem in a specific locale and of the role that church influence or direct action played in …