Music in Arkansas: Origins

This course tracks the development of Arkansas’s rich musical heritage, beginning with the discovery of a 200 BC Hopewell panpipe and concluding as King Biscuit Time hits the airwaves in 1941 Helena. Origins explores Arkansas’s role in the development of fourteen distinct musical genres, as well as how the rich Arkansas soundscape has been influenced by shifts in culture and by Arkansas's unique geographical regions.

An educator guide and standards-alignment document is provided as a resource within this course for middle and secondary teachers who wish to use Origins in the classroom. The documentary-style segments and classroom resources have been developed with the Arkansas State Standards and the College, Career and Civic Life Framework in mind. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Portraits of Courage: The Story of Women's Suffrage in Arkansas

Men and Women of Distinction: Gene L. Hatfield

Born in 1925 in Conway, Gene L. Hatfield was one of the state's most prolific artists, with paintings and sculptures numbering in the thousands. His work is most closely compared to that of the post-impressionist masters. A true Renaissance man, Hatfield tested his hand in nearly every form of artistic expression—acting, writing, song, dance, painting and sculpture—and challenged preconceived ideas of what is and is not art. In this documentary, narrated by Nicole and Gene Hatfield's daughter, Mathilda Hatfield, and featuring interviews with the artist himself, viewers get an intimate portrayal of one of Arkansas' renowned men of letters.                              

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Gene L. Hatfield, 1921-2017

Men and Women of Distinction: Jane Krutz

Jane Krutz, a notable Arkansas woman who devoted her life to many volunteer efforts and to civic engagement in our state, including by advocating for public television, sits down with former U.S. Senator and Arkansas Governor David Pryor to discuss her life, volunteering, and civic engagement. In this episode of Men and Women of Distinction, join us as we take a closer look at an Arkansan whose indomitable spirit enriched many lives. 

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Jane Krutz, 1925-2012

Men and Women of Distinction: Francis McBeth

Francis McBeth was an internationally recognized composer and conductor who began his career in 1957 as professor of music at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. After retiring in 1996, McBeth began touring the world, conducting in forty-eight states plus Europe, Japan, Australia, and Canada. His works totaled more than 100 compositions for orchestra, band, choral piano, organ, voice, and chamber performances. He is credited for making the symphony more appealing to the greater populous by sparking an interest in classical music in the average person.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

William Francis McBeth, 1933 - 2012

Men and Women of Distinction: Sid McMath

Sid McMath was born in Columbia County, Arkansas on June 14, 1912. He attended law school at the University of Arkansas and served thirty-six years with the U.S. Marine Corps. After serving in World War II, he became active in Hot Springs politics to fight the corruption in local government. He served two terms as Arkansas’s thirty-fourth governor from 1949-1953, which was a time of remarkable change in Arkansas. He continued to fight for a better life for all Arkansans in the years following his governorship.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Sidney Sanders McMath, 1912-2003

Men and Women of Distinction: Korto Momolu

A little girl forced from her African home by a violent coup, Korto Momolu held firm to her dreams and rose to the top of high fashion. She first burst onto the scene with two appearances on the reality series Project Runway and never looked back, becoming a fixture at New York's fashion week and building on her desire to make couture available to all women. Far from the bright lights, Korto now knows that home is where the heart is -- and her heart is here in Arkansas.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Disclaimer: The course contains video footage that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Men and Women of Distinction: David Pryor

Former U.S. Senator and Arkansas Governor David Pryor is interviewed by Roy Reed and Ernie Dumas to discuss his childhood in Camden, his years as a state representative, his years in Congress, and his race against Sen. John L. McClellan in 1972. He also talks about his two terms as governor of Arkansas and his 1978 race for the Senate.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

David Hampton Pryor, 1934-2024

Men and Women of Distinction: Ray Rodgers

Amateur boxing's Ray Rodgers had a wit as sharp as any jab, and his one-liners came at you in combinations. His disarming humor and no-nonsense approach took him from amateur boxer to coach to the top leadership posts in a sport to which he dedicated more than seventy years of service. His skills as a "cutman" are legendary, and he worked the corners of some of professional boxing's greatest champions. His most enduring legacy, however, is his tireless commitment to the countless young people he mentored away from the streets and toward a better life through education.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Darrell "Ray" Rodgers, 1936-2022

Men and Women of Distinction: Dale Bumpers

Former Arkansas Governor and U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers was born in Charleston, Arkansas and crafted a political career that lasted more than three decades. In 1970, Bumpers defeated the better-known Orval Faubus in the Democratic primary election for governor and went on to unseat incumbent Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller in the general election. He took J. William Fulbright's Senate seat in 1974 and began a quarter-century of service in Washington DC. Weeks after his 1999 retirement, Bumpers returned to Washington to give closing arguments in fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton's Senate trial.

Based on the Arkansas PBS series Men and Women of Distinction, each course features an Arkansan whose life has had a profound effect on the development of the state, the character of its people, or its image beyond our borders. By highlighting these men and women, the series allows history to be told by the voices of those who lived it. This course meets the scheduled Arkansas history requirement as set forth in the Rules Governing Professional Development and required by ACA 6-17-703.

Dale Leon Bumpers, 1925-2016

Warning: The course contains language that may not be suitable for all audiences.