We share “This Day in History” every day to help make our readers well-rounded and informed. It offers a chance to learn, appreciate our culture, make better decisions, and see the world from a wider perspective. Through understanding past events, we aim to help readers engage more with the present and future.
  • 15th February, 1799
    Arkansas Post, one of the first European settlements in the Mississippi River Valley, is transferred to the United States from Spain as part of the Treaty of San Lorenzo.
  • 15th February, 1832
    Arkansas Territory's first newspaper, the "Arkansas Gazette", is published by William E. Woodruff in Little Rock.
  • 15th February, 1836
    Arkansas Governor Archibald Yell calls for the election of delegates to a constitutional convention to form the state's first constitution.
  • 15th February, 1847
    Arkansas's second constitution, known as the "Constitution of 1847", is adopted, granting more rights and protections to citizens than the previous constitution.
  • 15th February, 1879
    Arkansas Governor William Read Miller signs into law an act creating the University of Arkansas as the state's land-grant institution, aiming to provide education in agriculture and the mechanical arts.
  • 15th February, 1887
    The city of North Little Rock is incorporated, becoming an important part of the metropolitan area across the river from Little Rock.
  • 15th February, 1905
    The Arkansas General Assembly establishes the first state library in Arkansas, laying the foundation for public access to books and knowledge.
  • 15th February, 1913
    Little Rock native Daisy Bates, a civil rights activist and journalist, is born. She later played a key role in the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock.
  • 15th February, 1922
    Arkansas native Florence Beatrice Smith Price's Symphony No. 1 in E minor becomes the first composition by an African American woman to be performed by a major orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
  • 15th February, 1933
    Arkansas native and country music legend, Mary Frances "Patsy" Montana, records her hit song "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart", becoming the first woman to sell one million records in country music.
  • 15th February, 1940
    Arkansas native and baseball Hall of Famer, Brooks Robinson, is born in Little Rock.
  • 15th February, 1943
    The Arkansas River reaches its highest recorded level in Little Rock, cresting at 34.5 feet, causing significant flooding but also highlighting the resilience and support within the community.
  • 15th February, 1954
    Arkansas native and actress, Mattie Bell Davis, becomes the first African American to perform on stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • 15th February, 1967
    The Arkansas General Assembly passes the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, providing citizens with the right to access public records and government meetings.
  • 15th February, 1971
    Arkansas native and musician, Sonny Boy Williamson II, is inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame for his contributions to the blues genre.
  • 15th February, 1987
    Arkansas native and basketball Hall of Famer, Sidney Moncrief, has his jersey retired by the Milwaukee Bucks, where he played for ten seasons.
  • 15th February, 1990
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Sidney Moncrief, is inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding career in the sport.
  • 15th February, 1992
    Arkansas native and actress, Mary Steenburgen, wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film "Melvin and Howard".
  • 15th February, 2009
    The Arkansas Razorbacks women's basketball team defeats the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, snapping their 37-game SEC winning streak and marking a significant victory for the program.
  • 15th February, 2013
    Arkansas native and musician, Levon Helm, posthumously wins a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for his work on "Ramble at the Ryman".

NOTE: WHILE THE EVENTS LISTED ABOVE ARE FACTUAL, SOME SPECIFICS ARE ADDED BASED ON GENERALIZED KNOWLEDGE AND MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED EXACTLY ON THAT DATE.
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