Family historians and genealogists whose ancestors once lived in Arkansas will discover a wealth of newly updated information to aid their research in Research in Arkansas. The most significant revisions in this edition include the renaming of the Arkansas History Commission and State Archives—now known as Arkansas State Archives—and its merger with the Arkansas Department of Heritage. Website addresses were changed, some records were given new call numbers, and its Biodex is no longer online. The Biodex is only available in the Research Room at the Arkansas State Archives. In addition, the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives opened at Powhatan in 2011. Its holdings date back as far as 1815 and cover the sixteen counties in Northeast Arkansas. The author also provides the latest information and website addresses for archives, libraries, and societies throughout the state.
Research in Arkansas describes where genealogists can find African American records; cemetery records; colonial, territorial, federal, and school censuses; and military records for the Mexican War, the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World I, and World War II. In the section on military records, family historians will learn where to access records on people of Japanese descent who were interned in World War II relocation camps in Arkansas. Land and property records, reconstruction era records as well as religious, tax, and vital records are also covered in this comprehensive guide book.
Published by NGS, Research in Arkansas, 2nd edition, is one volume in the Research in the States series edited by Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS. It is available for purchase in the NGS online store in both PDF and print versions.
Lynda Childers Suffridge, who currently serves as vice president of the Friends of the Arkansas State Archives, worked in the research room of the Arkansas History Commission and State Archives for twelve years. A former vice president of the National Genealogical Society, she has lectured at NGS conferences, IGHR at Samford University, and many local societies.