Theculture of Arkansas is a subculture of the Southern United States that has come from blending heavy amounts of various European settlers' cultures with the cultures ofAfrican slaves and Native Americans. Southern culture remains prominent in the ruralArkansas delta and south Arkansas. Arkansans share a history with the other southern states that includes the institution ofslavery, theAmerican Civil War,Reconstruction,Jim Crow laws andsegregation, theGreat Depression, and theCivil rights movement.
On a more abstract level, Arkansas's culture can be seen and heard in its literature, music,sports, film, television and art. Arkansas is known for such authors asJohn Gould Fletcher,John Grisham,Charlaine Harris, andMaya Angelou; for musicians and bands such asJohnny Cash andCharlie Rich; for interest infootball,hunting and fishing; for the films and television shows filmed in the state and the actors and actresses from Arkansas; and for the art created by Arkansans and inspired by the state of Arkansas.
The people of Arkansas are stereotyped both by their manners and for being highly religious. Language in Arkansas is a combination of several different sub-dialects ofSouthern American English found across the state. The state's culture is also influenced by its economy. Finally, Arkansas' cuisine is integral to its culture with such foods asbarbecue, traditional country cooking, friedcatfish and chicken,wild duck, rice, purple hull peas,okra, apples,fried green tomatoes andgrits being part of the people of Arkansas's diet and economy.[citation needed]
Thestereotype, which is frequently characterized by a lazy, rural, poor, banjo-playing, racist, cousin-marrying hick is commonly applied to Arkansas and its residents[citation needed]. Arkansas'shillbilly reputation, and its citizen's defensiveness on the subject, are a very important piece of Arkansas' culture. Many Arkansans defend the state's reputation by refuting this image, but other Arkansans embrace it[citation needed]. TheOld State House Museum housed an exhibit regarding the state's reputation in 2012.[1]
The present day image of Arkansas has evolved from early diary entries written by the first visitors to the state. During the frontier period, many were exploring the new western extents of the United States and sending their findings back east.Henry Schoolcraft,George William Featherstonhaugh, andHenry Merrill were some of Arkansas's earliest detractors.[2] Their accounts described the state as a backwater full of savages and outlaws. The travelers also commented on the self-sufficient nature and the wide range of survival skills possessed by the denizens of frontier Arkansas.[3] This characterization was common among frontier states, but since geography prevented travelers from passing through Arkansas in subsequent years, the early commentary held in the public consciousness.[4]
The image continued to grow when southwestern humor publications played on the backwardsness of poor whites, especially in hill country.[5] The most enduring icon of Arkansas's hillbilly reputation isThe Arkansas Traveller, a painted depiction of a folk tale from the 1840s.[6] The tale involves gubernatorial candidateArchibald Yell and his party of politicians becoming lost in the Ozarks on a campaign trip and resorting to asking for directions at a squatter's cabin. The man continues to play his banjo and evade the traveler's questions before feeding the party and allowing them to stay the night.[6] Although intended to represent the divide between rich southeastern plantation Arkansas planters and the poor northwestern hill country, the meaning was twisted to represent a Northerner lost in the Ozarks on a white horse asking a backwoods Arkansan for directions.[7] The legend continued to grow, including a play namedKit, the Arkansas Traveler and the publication of a humor journal named theArkansaw Traveler.
Another component of Arkansas's image is its history of racism and racial violence. Arkansas issocially stigmatized along with the other former slave states of theConfederacy. The presence of theKu Klux Klan in the years which immediately followed theCivil War and events such as theElaine Race riot continued to affirm the state's reputation for racism. TheLittle Rock Nine crisis atCentral High School inLittle Rock defined Arkansas as a state which was resistant toracial integration for many years and in the minds of many people, it also renewed the stereotype which portrayed Arkansas as a racist state. Frequently, the Little Rock Nine crisis and similar events are the only references to the state which are mentioned in history books, thus forming the opinions of many and perpetuating the state's negative reputation.[8]
Gov.[Bill] Clinton, you attendedOxford University in England andYale Law School in theIvy League, two of the finest institutions of learning in the world. So how come you still talk like a hillbilly?
Many Arkansans speak with a Southern dialect or accent, although it is generally characterized as anUpper South accent similar to that of neighboringOklahoma andTexas, in contrast to the accent of theDeep South accent prevalent in southeastern Arkansas including theArkansas Delta.[10] The accent is an important method for Arkansans to identify themselves with the Southern culture, and is commonly used by those from other regions to link Arkansas to the illiterate, uneducated Southern stereotype.[11]
Anecdotes of Northern accent-holders disrespecting and dismissing the intelligence of those with Southern dialects are largely the result of popular culture's portrayal of the South, includingGone With the Wind,The Beverly Hillbillies, andDeliverance.[12]Rosina Lippi, author and holder of a PhD inlinguistics, has commented that Northerners use the link to ignorant, lazy Southerners to denigrate the South.[11] Since Southerners are a group connected by a common culture and history rather than a race defined by ethnic characteristics, the North uses the Southern accent to appeal to stereotypes[11] of the region that are otherwise uncomfortable topics, such as racism.[13] The belittlement of Southern dialect speakers has been effective[11] to the point at which classes on losing one's Southern accent are offered for those looking to move and work in the North.[14]
Arkansas lies among three well-knownbarbecue regions:Memphis,Texas, andKansas City, and has a mixture of styles across the state rather than a distinct "Arkansas style". This combination is sometimes known as the "Mid-South style".[15] Much of theArkansas Delta was settled by migrants fromTennessee andVirginia, who brought their barbecue traditions to Arkansas.Independence Day barbecues are described in Arkansas as early as 1821, prior to statehood.[16] In the Delta, barbecues were community events, eventually coopted by politicians seeking to meet voters. Antebellum pit barbecues in Arkansas were often established around trenches dug in a clearing in the woods, filled with oak and hickory burned down to hot coals, tended by slaves, and served whatever animals the community was willing to offer, including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, deer, wild turkey and possums.[17] Slaves also hosted their own barbecues on plantations, though the practice was significantly curbed afterGabriel's Rebellion and theNat Turner's Rebellion.[18]
Thesmoked meat tradition was very important to early settlers to preserve meat, as the smokehouse was one of the Arkansas settler's most important outbuildings.[19]Hog hunts andpig roasts were community events in early Arkansas.[20]
Popular restaurant dishes includepulled pork and chicken sandwiches, brisket, and ribs served with traditional side dishes. BBQ chicken is especially prominent in the Ozarks region, which has a long history of poultry production. Some BBQ restaurants, such as McClard's Bar-B-Q inHot Springs,[21] are also known forhot tamales (often called "delta style tamales" in the Arkansas delta).[22]
Other traditional meat entrees include hamburger steak with gravy and onions and fried dishes (chicken fried steak,fried chicken,catfish).
Louis Jordan ofBrinkley, Arkansas, was known as theKing of the Jukebox from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Several of his songs reference traditional dishes served in Arkansas, including charting singles "Beans and Corn Bread" and "Cole Slaw (Sorghum Switch)". Traditional side dishes to accompany entrees includecorn bread, greens, potato dishes (baked potato orFrench fries),macaroni and cheese,salads (fruit, garden,Jello,pasta orpotato),coleslaw, corn, and a variety of fried vegetables (such as okra or pickles).
Cheese dip, sometimes referred to asqueso, was created at Mexico Chiquito inNorth Little Rock, Arkansas. Little Rock hosts the annual World Cheese Dip Championship, and restaurants across Central Arkansas offer special recipes to diners.[23] TheArkansas Department of Parks & Tourism's Cheese Dip Trail has 19 stops across the state. Arkansas cheese dip won a blind taste test against Texas-style queso amongUnited States SenateRepublicans in 2016, following a feature about Arkansas's cheese dip heritage inThe Wall Street Journal.[24]
Early Arkansas settlers relied onhoney beehoney andsorghum for sweetening food, with store-bought sugar or candy used only rarely. Settlers would "course the bees" to their hive, retrieve the hive to their farm, and store the bees in abee gum in ablack gum tree.[25] Almost every early farmer had a patch ofsorghum to make sorghum molasses for use as a sweetener when honey ran out.[26] Fall sorghum harvests led to meetings at the community sorghum mill, which doubled as community events.[27]
Sugar maples can be found in the hills and hollers ofthe Ozarks, where people collect sap (although commonly called "water" in the area) from the trees in a method similar toVermont or Canada. Although dependent upon weather conditions, January and February are generally the only window when this type of sap harvesting is feasible due to the warm Arkansas climate. This water is harvested and boiled, traditionally in large cast iron pots, usually requiring approximately 43 US gallons (160 L) of water to produce 1 US gallon (3.8 L) of syrup. For many in the Ozarks, this is a family tradition involving camping in the woods among the trees or other family gatherings.[28]
Little Rock'sLassis Inn was a meeting place for civil rights leaders in the 1950s and 60s, includingDaisy Bates, while they were planning efforts such as thedesegregation of Little Rock Central High School.[29][30][31][32][33] In 2017 it was among the three inaugural inductees into theArkansas Food Hall of Fame, along withRhoda's Famous Hot Tamales andJones Bar-B-Q Diner.[34][35] In 2020, it was named anAmerica's Classic by the James Beard Foundation.[34][36]
The architecture of Arkansas varies wildly, whether one is looking across the street, across the city, or across the state. Architecture can be divided into two main branches: folk houses and structures in a traditional sense and buildings built in a specific style to follow a trend or explore a new style.
The historical timeline of architecture in Arkansas is similar to that of the nation. Throughout the 1800s three styles vied for dominance:French Colonial,Federal, andGreek Revival, however many structures built during this period do not exist today.Gothic Revival,Italianate, andSecond Empire became en vogue during the late 1800s. Later structures near the turn of the century frequently modeled theQueen Anne andRomanesque Revival styles.Charles L. Thompson became very active in Arkansas in the late 1800s and into the next century. His firm designed over 2,000 buildings in the state and was at the forefront of architecture in Arkansas for many years. Today 143 of his firm's older works are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[37]
A variety of architectural styles became popular in Arkansas in the 20th century, includingAmerican Craftsman,Classic Revival,Colonial Revival,Prairie School,Tudor Revival, and laterArt Moderne, andArt Deco.E. Fay Jones began producing works oforganic architecture, includingThorncrown Chapel andMildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel and several homes in northwest Arkansas. Most recent buildings in Arkansas have been constructed in modern style.[citation needed]
Early settlers began by fabricating log structures and shacks using available materials.
Early literature about Arkansas shortly after statehood in 1836 describes Arkansas as a savage backwater populated by lazy farmers and unintelligent slaves. Arkansas was also frequently the subject of Southwest humor pieces, a genre in which exaggeration and hyperbole is used for comedic effect. Some of these images stuck in the public conscience, and are partially responsible for the "Arkansas hillbilly" stereotype still commonly applied today. Literature from Arkansas natives often bears the mark of the state's varied geography. The culture of rural Arkansas towns is reflected in works likeI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings byMaya Angelou (based inStamps, Arkansas) andJohn Grisham'sA Painted House (based inBlack Oak, Arkansas). TheUniversity of Arkansas Press is the state's largest publisher.
The state of Arkansas has a few theaters for the performance arts, including theWalton Arts Center in Fayetteville, the Arkansas Public Theatre in Rogers, theRobinson Center in Little Rock, and theKing Opera House inVan Buren. The Arkansas Arts Council supports a group of touring performers as well as providing financial support for the performing arts.[38] Arkansas Repertory Theatre, based in Little Rock, is the state's largest non-profit theater company. Northwest Arkansas also has a regional theater company,TheatreSquared, the region's only year-round theater. TheatreSquared has received recognition from theAmerican Theatre Wing and focuses on youth arts education in addition to their 100+ performances annually.
Little Rock hosts theArkansas Repertory Theatre as well as the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Arkansas. TheArkansas Arts Center in downtown Little Rock is the state's premier arts center, including permanent works byRembrandt,Pablo Picasso, andEdgar Degas.[39] Across theArkansas River, the Argenta Arts District contains a community theatre as well as studios and galleries.[40]
Folk music and traditional Ozark performances are available atOzark Folk Center State Park inMountain View.Folk dances, includingsquare dances andhoedowns, were a dominant cultural force across early Arkansas.[41]
The museums in Arkansas display and preserve the culture of Arkansas for future generations. From fine art to history, Arkansas museums are available throughout the state. The most popular museum in Arkansas isCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art andThe Momentary inBentonville, financed by Alice Walton, with 604,000 visitors in 2012, its first year.[42] The museum is near theDowntown Bentonville and includes walking trails and educational opportunities in addition to displaying over 450 works covering five centuries of American art.[43] Other art museums in Arkansas include theArkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas State University Museum atArkansas State University inJonesboroArts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas inPine Bluff, andSouth Arkansas Arts Center inEl Dorado. A museum of natural history is operated atMid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs.
History museums interpret the history of the state for Arkansans and tourists, and are located across the state. TheNational Park Service (NPS) maintainssixteen properties in the state, as well asArkansas Post National Memorial, which preserves the history of the first European settlement in Arkansas. The NPS also offers historical museums atBathhouse Row,Central High School National Historic Site,Fort Smith National Historic Site, andPea Ridge National Military Park.
The Department of Arkansas Heritage operates four different museums in Arkansas including theDelta Cultural Center inHelena-West Helena and theHistoric Arkansas Museum, theOld State House (Little Rock) and theMosaic Templars Cultural Center all in Little Rock. TheArkansas Department of Parks and Tourism operates theArkansas Museum of Natural Resources inSmackover andPlantation Agriculture Museum inScott. The department also runs eighthistoric state parks:Hampson Archeological Museum State Park,Jacksonport State Park,Lower White River Museum State Park,Davidsonville Historic State Park,Historic Washington State Park,Parkin Archeological State Park,Powhatan Historic State Park, andToltec Mounds Archeological State Park.
History museums such as theMacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History and theClinton Presidential Center inLittle Rock, thePresident William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site inHope, theBill Clinton Boyhood Home inHot Springs,U.S. Marshals Service National Museum in Fort Smith,Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum inNorth Little Rock, Historic Dyess ColonyJohnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess,The Southern Tenant Farmers Museum inTyronza,Jacksonville Museum of Military History inJacksonville,Old Independence Regional Museum in Batesville,Grant County Museum inSheridan,ESSE Purse Museum in Little Rock,Headquarters House Museum inFayetteville,Museum of Native American History andThe Peel Mansion Museum & Heritage GardensCol. Samuel W. Peel House in Bentonville,Lakeport Plantation nearLake Village,Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie inStuttgart,Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Prairie Grove, and theShiloh Museum of Ozark History inSpringdale seek to preserve pieces of local and regional significance.
Sports are an integral part of the culture of Arkansas, and its residents enjoy participating and spectating various events throughout the year. One of the oldest sports in Arkansas is hunting. The large supply and cheap production of guns following theCivil War made it possible for many Arkansans to hunt with other men in camps. These hunting parties often roamed across the wilderness, eating well and imbibing frequently. The state created theArkansas Game and Fish Commission in 1915 to regulate and enforce hunting.[44] Today a significant portion of Arkansas's population participates in hunting animals such asduck anddeer. Tourists also come to the state to hunt game. Fishing has always been popular in Arkansas. The sport and the state have benefited from the creation of reservoirs across Arkansas. Following the completion ofNorfork Dam, theNorfork Tailwater and theWhite River have become a destination fortrout fishers. Several smaller retirement communities such asBull Shoals,Hot Springs Village, andFairfield Bay have flourished due to their position on a fishing lake. TheBuffalo National River has been preserved in its natural state by theNational Park Service and is frequented by fly fishers annually.
Football, especially collegiate football, has always been important to Arkansans, primarily because of a lack of a top level professional sports team. College football in Arkansas began from humble beginnings. TheUniversity of Arkansas first fielded a team in1894 when football was a very dangerous game. Many attempts to regulate violence and use ofringers plagued the sport early on.Calling the Hogs is a cheer that shows support for theRazorbacks, one of the two FBS teams in the state. High school football also began to grow in Arkansas in the early 20th century. Over the years, many Arkansans have looked to the Razorbacks football team as the public image of the state. Following theLittle Rock Nine integration crisis atLittle Rock Central High School, Arkansans looked to the successful Razorback teams in the following years to repair the state's reputation. Although the University of Arkansas is based inFayetteville, the Razorbacks have always played at least two games per season atWar Memorial Stadium inLittle Rock in an effort to keep fan support in central and south Arkansas.Arkansas State University joined the Football Bowl Subdivision along with the University of Arkansas in 1992 after playing in lower divisions for decades. The two schools have met twice, in 1944 and 2025, with Arkansas winning both matchups. Six of Arkansas's smaller colleges play in theGreat American Conference, withUniversity of Arkansas at Pine Bluff playing in theSouthwestern Athletic Conference andUniversity of Central Arkansas competing in theSouthland Conference.
