Flag

Arkansas Newspaper Archives (1830–2007)

107 Publications • 1,620,262 Pages

1830–2007

Arkansas newspapers on NewspaperArchive stretch back to 1830; early titles such as The Arkansas Advocate from Little Rock (1830) were published when the state had barely been admitted to the Union. The 107 titles and 1,620,262 pages trace the state through secession and the Civil War, Reconstruction-era politics, and the 1957 Little Rock Central High School desegregation crisis that put Arkansas at the center of the national civil rights debate. Small-town papers across the Delta and Ozarks fill out the archive with local records that rarely surface anywhere else. Search is free; full page access requires a subscription.

Search United States Newspapers

First & Middle Names
Last Name
Keywords

Advanced Search

Why Arkansas Newspaper Archives

Arkansas state is full of history, from the civil war to the coal mines, and it's all waiting to be discovered in the Arkansas Newspaper Archives. Arkansas, known as "The Natural State," became the 25th state of the United States on June 15, 1836. With its rich history and diverse cultural heritage, Arkansas offers a wealth of resources for those interested in exploring family history.

From the early days of settlement to the present, there have been newspapers published in Arkansas that have documented the news and events of the 25th state in the United States. Newspaper Archive offers many resources and features to help you begin your research and learn more about historical Arkansas and your ancestors that lived there. Open up a newspaper and get a feel for life in the past. Whether you're looking for information on your family history, impactful events, or just want to find some good ol' southern recipes, we've got you covered.

Arkansas Civil War History

Search for Arkansas newspapers in the years before the Civil War to experience the rise of tensions. Read about the political tensions and start to understand the minds of the Arkansas people before the war began. Search for mentions of the Civil War to read about insurrections, soldier lists, battles, and politics. Follow the news through to the end of the war and witness the resolution of the war just as the people of Arkansas did.

Arkansas River Flood of 1927

Read about the most devastating flood in recorded Arkansas history. The heavy rains of the summer and the early snowmelt in Canada made the Arkansas river swell enough to burst levees and devastate cities. Read about the tragic event and all the generous hands that came to help. Experience the news of floods just as the early Arkansas citizens did.

Arkansas Coal Mine Industry

Arkansas is home to some of the largest coal mines. In 1907, Arkansas mines put out more than two million tons of coal. With mining comes a way of life, an occupation, tragedies, and many stories. Did your ancestors work in the mines? Learn about their day-to-day experiences in the mines and experience the tragedies of mine collapses as they were experienced in the past.

Family History and Genealogy in Arkansas Newspapers

Old newspaper articles are a treasure trove for genealogy research! You never know what you might find when you search through our historical archives—maybe an old family recipe or a long-lost relative.

Search the Arkansas newspaper records to find names, birth dates, death dates, marriage records, and exciting stories to add to the family collection. While other family history records are a great starting point, newspapers can help you further your genealogy research and help you overcome barriers. An article might mention a parent or other relative that will allow you to trace your line back even further.

In addition to adding to your family tree, read the next chapter of your family story. Family history is about the names and dates, but the stories are where it comes to life. Look in newspapers in cities where your family members lived and areas they may have had influence. Find articles that mention your family and learn about the impact they had on their community. Clip newspaper articles, save them to your family collections and share them with your living family members.

NewspaperArchive.com has 57 of papers dating back to 1854, so you're likely to find the stories and information you're looking for. If you know what you're looking for, searching by publisher can be extremely helpful. Find all of the publications released by a publisher and find your targeted information. Browse through the publishers and find familiar newspaper names. Or follow a newspaper publisher to see the changes through the years.

NewspaperArchive.com has publishers like the Russellville Democrat, Forrest City Times, Ashdown Little River News, and we are always updating the site with new content so you can keep coming back for more. We are always reaching out to libraries, publishers, and historical archives to get more newspapers, so we can help you find exactly what you are looking for.

What Can You Find in Arkansas Newspaper Articles

Search historical Arkansas newspapers by city to learn about your family's hometown. Take a look at your roots—learn where you came from and how their experiences live on in you today. Newspaper Archive collects newspapers from many cities from across Arkansas state, including big cities like Hot Springs and Fayetteville, but we also focus on smaller publications from towns like Stephens or Prescott.

Newspapers from smaller cities and towns are more likely to feature ordinary people and talk about smaller events. Bigger papers are focused on the big event, and they don't have enough space to feature a lot of people or write a lot of articles about everyday excitement. If your ancestors lived in a small town, consider yourself lucky! You're likely to find stories about your family members that have passed on. Some small newspapers even detailed things like which families were out of town on vacation, who offered prayer at a local church function, or which neighborhood kids got together for a sleepover.

There is so much to discover in our Arkansas newspaper archives! Learn the history of your city or discover historical news from places where your family lived. Search historical Arkansas records by city and find all of the information you are looking for. Newspapers often feature events like marriages, births, deaths or obituaries, and other life events.

Arkansas newspapers provide a wealth of information for genealogical and historical research. They are an especially valuable resource for studying less common surnames, since they often include more detailed information than censuses and other government records. In addition, Arkansas newspapers can be a great way to learn about the day-to-day lives of your ancestors.

Searching by name is key to many types of research, but searching by keyword is also important. Searching Arkansas newspaper archives by keyword will help you learn more about the state's history.

Arkansas has played a significant role in American history, from its early settlement days to its involvement in the Civil War and beyond. The state's history is marked by its agricultural roots, the impact of the Civil Rights Movement, and its contributions to American culture and politics. These historical events have left treasure trove of records and stories that are preserved in various forms, including newspapers, which serve as a vital resource for understanding the past.

Family history is particularly important in Arkansas due to the state's diverse population and its historical events that have shaped the lives of its residents. Many families in Arkansas have deep roots in the region, with generations having lived and worked in the state. Understanding family history helps individuals connect with their heritage, appreciate the struggles and achievements of their ancestors, and gain a sense of identity and belonging. Additionally, exploring family history can reveal connections to significant historical events and movements that have influenced the state and the nation.

Arkansas Newspaper Archives FAQs

NewspaperArchive's Arkansas collection includes titles from communities across the state, including the Blytheville Courier News, the Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas Times, the Camden News, the Hope Star, and the Harrison Daily Times. These papers give researchers a mix of Delta, Ozark, river-town, college-town, and smaller-city coverage, with local reporting on families, businesses, schools, churches, courts, and community events.
NewspaperArchive's Arkansas coverage reaches back to 1830, during Arkansas's territorial period, and continues into the 2000s. Early Little Rock titles such as The Arkansas Advocate, The Arkansas Banner, and Little Rock Arkansas True Democrat can help researchers explore Arkansas before and after statehood in 1836, while later community papers document the state's 19th- and 20th-century growth.
Start with the person's full name and known hometown, then try initials, nicknames, married names, and common misspellings. Arkansas newspapers such as the Benton Courier and the Sharp County Record may include obituaries, funeral notices, memorial items, burial details, church affiliations, and names of surviving relatives. If a formal obituary does not appear, check nearby issues for funeral notices, death mentions, probate notices, or community columns.
Arkansas newspapers can help place families within the larger events and industries that shaped their communities. The Hot Springs Sentinel Record can be useful for exploring Hot Springs as a resort destination in the early 20th century, while the Pine Bluff Daily Graphic can help researchers study river-town life, cotton-era business, court news, and community events in southeast Arkansas. These local stories can show how statewide or regional changes affected ordinary families.
Yes. Arkansas newspapers often published birth announcements, wedding notices, anniversary items, death notices, obituaries, and probate notices. These can be especially useful because statewide Arkansas birth and death records did not begin until February 1914, and earlier records can be limited. In titles such as The Daily Texarkanian and the Daily Texarkana Democrat, newspaper notices may help confirm dates, family relationships, residences, churches, or community connections that are difficult to document in official records alone.
Yes. NewspaperArchive includes the Arkansas State Press, published in Little Rock from 1941 to 1959. This title is especially important for researching African American communities, civil rights history, schools, churches, local leaders, social events, and family names that may not have received the same coverage in mainstream papers. It can be a valuable source for understanding Black life in Arkansas during the World War II and early civil rights eras.