U of A to Help Preserve Arkansas Constitutional Documents

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Attorney General Tim Griffin shows a photo of one of the original hand-written documents of the Arkansas Constitution.

The U of A will be helping to preserve historical documents related to the Arkansas Constitution in a joint effort funded by the office of Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

University Libraries will digitize the current constitution, ratified in 1874, previous versions and other related documents as a part of the Quill Project, which includes a broader, searchable database of documents from all 50 states and the federal government.

"As a land-grant institution, the University of Arkansas is dedicated to serving the people of our state and nation,” U of A Chancellor Charles Robinson said. “Joining the Quill Project provides an incredible opportunity to fulfill this commitment by preserving Arkansas’ constitutional history and enriching our collective understanding of the foundations of American democracy.”

The project announcement includes more information and comments from the Attorney General Griffin; Cynthia Nance, dean of the U of A School of Law; Jason Battles, dean of the University Libraries; and Howard Brill, professor at the U of A School of Law and former chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.