The Cabot Public Library will host a free traveling exhibit called “Arkansas African American Legislators, 1868-1893,” from Oct. 16 through Nov. 11.
It was produced by the Arkansas State Archives and the Black History Commission of Arkansas.
The library will hold a reception from 5 till 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16 to celebrate the exhibit’s opening.
The exhibit can be viewed during the library’s regular hours 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturdays.
“Arkansas African Ameri-can Legislators, 1868-1893” tells the story of the 85 African Americans who served in the Arkansas General Assembly in the 19th Century.
“After the Civil War, Arkansas adopted a new constitution in 1868, and its provisions included the right to vote and hold public office for black males. African American lawyers, merchants, ministers, educators, farmers, and other professionals served in the Arkansas General Assembly. Photographs of 46 of the 85 legislators are an integral part of the display,” according the library’s press release.
The exhibit will display a complete listing of the legislators and a short history of post-Civil War and election law “reforms” that effectively barred African Americans from being elected to the legislature until the 1970s.
The Black History Com-mission of Arkansas collects black historical materials for the Arkansas State Archives, encourages research in Arkansas black history and to cooperate with the Arkansas Department of Education in the development of African American historical materials for use in public schools.
The Black History Com-mission produces exhibits, hosts seminars, offers free educational material on African American history and administers the Curtis H. Sykes Memorial Grant Program to fund projects related to African American history in Arkansas.
The Arkansas State Archives, founded in 1905, collects and preserves the documentary history of Arkansas. It is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and shares the goal of all eight Department of Arkansas Heritage agencies, that of preserving and enhancing the heritage of the state of Arkansas.
The other agencies are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Arkansas State Archives, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Old State House Museum.
To learn more about the Arkansas State Archives and the Black History Commission of Arkansas visit archives.arkansas.gov.
The Cabot library is at 909 W. Main St.
For more information about the exhibit, call Leisa Horness at 855-572-6657, ext. 904 or email lhorness@lonokecountylibrary.org.
To schedule the exhibit in your institution call the Arkansas State Archives at 501.682.6900, e-mail state.archives@arkansas.gov or visit www.ark-ives.com.
