Commems Collection Classic: 1935-39 Arkansas Statehood Centennial - Growth And Characteristics

On March 16, 1936, Senator Joseph Taylor Robinson (D-AR) requested that a booklet titled Arkansas 1836-1936 -- A Study of its Growth and Characteristics in Observance of its Centenary be referred to the Committee on Printing so that a Senate Document could be created and printed. No objection was raised to Senator Robinson's request.

Shortly thereafter, Senate Document 191 was created and printed; individual copies of the brief, 48-numbered-page booklet were available from the US Government Printing Office in Washington, DC for $0.15 each - what a deal!

Following is the Table of Contents for the booklet:

I. The Discovery
II. Now a Territory
III. Statehood
IV. immigration
V. Political Abstracts
VI. The State's Geography
VII. Early Living Conditions
VIII. Arkansans
IX. The Sate's Resources
X. Schools
XI. Seven Natural Wonders
XII. Interesting Sidelights
XIII. Arkansiana

Considering the subject of the commemorative coin, here is the "chapter" on Arkansas' Statehood:

III. STATEHOOD

TIME soon came for the people of the Territory to be recognized as a sovereign State. The period of experimentation was over; they had proved themselves capable citizens, efficient in governmental procedures.

Unwavering in their purpose and without waiting for Congress to pass an enabling act, the people of the Territory took matters in their own hands by forming and submitting a constitution to the Congress for approval. Meanwhile Congressman A.H. Sevier introduced a bill for Arkansas to be admitted into the Union when he learned that representatives from the Territory of Michigan were asking for statehood. Slavery was a national issue; long delays followed, but when the vote was finally taken, the count stood: Yeas, 137; nays,.45,

So on June 15, 1836, Arkansas took its place as the Twenty-fifth Commonwealth of these great United States.

Quite brief! But the booklet was not meant to be a comprehensive text book, but simply a pamphlet such that "salient facts about Arkansas may be available to the school children of the Nation." It was an initiative of the Arkansas Centennial Commission - the coin's sponsor.

1935 Arkansas Statehood Centennial Half Dollar




For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the Arkansas half dollars, see: Commems Collection.


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