African American Resources for Arkansas

Online Resources

 * Images Only.
 * Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1871 ($)
 * African American Cemeteries Online

A list of resources of African Americans in Arkansas. Includes some church records from 1944-1983, military records from the Civil War and other research helps.

Online Records

 * Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1864-1872

Biography
George Berry Washington, Black Plantation Owner. By Iroquois Research Institute prepared for Historic Preservation Associates. - Fairfax, Va.: The Institute, 1981. - iv, 84 leaves: ill. F415.C9 W373

Churches

 * Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church records from 1944-1983 are located in the state archives (Arkansas History Commission). This collection contains the church board, treasurer, and Sunday school records of the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), of Sweet Home, Arkansas, 1944-1983.
 * First Missionary Baptist Church [Little Rock] (1845- ) History

Genealogy

 * Arkansas Gravestones
 * Arkansas Gravestones Project
 * Arkansas Gen Web
 * Pulaski County, Arkansas Gen Web page

Military

 * Arkansas and Missouri Union Army muster rolls 1863-1864 Contains the muster rolls for the Second and Third Regiments, Arkansas Infantry volunteers of African descent, and a couple of Missouri regiments (Arkansas History Commission).
 * Company G, 2nd Arkansas Volunteers of African Descent, United States of America, records This collection contains records pertaining to Company G, 2nd Arkansas Volunteers, United States Army, during the Civil War.

Societies and Organizations
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) AAHGS Arkansas Chapter P.O. Box 4294 Little Rock, AR 72214

Mosaic Templars of America (MTA) Mosaic Templars Cultural Center 501 W. Ninth Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 683-3593

Time Line
1859 Arkansas law ordered free Negroes and mulattoes to leave the state by the end of the year or select a master "who must give bond not to allow such Negroes to act as free."

Free Negroes were to carry at all times his "free papers"(manumission) which gave his name and description and explained just how his freedom had been obtained.

Books

 * Taylor, Orville W. Negro Slavery in Arkansas. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press, 2000.


 * Burton, Arthur T. Black, Buckskin and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier. Austin, Texas: Eaton Press, 1999.


 * Clark, John Franklin. A Brief History of Negro Baptists in Arkansas: A Story of Their Progress and Development, 1867-1939. Pine Bluff, Ark.: [s.n.], 1938.


 * Works Project Administration. Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves. Arkansas Narratives, Parts 1–7. Digital version at Internet Archive made available by Project Gutenberg.


 * Black History Commission of Arkansas - Arkansas History Commission and State Archives


 * "Arkansas African-American Records" at Arkansas Genealogy - Provides resources, including links to African American cemeteries, military records, slave records, and more.