1874 Arkansas Constitution and Convention Records Available Online

The 1874 Arkansas Constitution and records from the convention that produced it are now available online through a collaboration between the University of Arkansas Libraries and the Quill Project at the University of Oxford with sponsorship and support from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

This digital resource allows researchers, students and the public to explore the debates, committees and decisions that shaped the state’s current constitution, which has governed Arkansas since 1874.

Using the Quill Project’s digital platform, the materials are presented in a way that shows how proposals moved through the convention process and how delegates worked through committees to produce the final document.

“The Quill Project platform’s visual presentation of complex, negotiated documents such as the Arkansas state constitution provides users with a unique perspective on delegate interests and decision making in creating such important texts,” said Jason Battles, dean of Libraries.

The Quill Project, directed by historian Nicholas Cole of Pembroke College at the University of Oxford, uses digital humanities tools to model how major political and constitutional documents were created. The platform maps negotiations, committee work and amendments, providing a detailed view of how foundational documents develop through debate and compromise.

Battles described a positive working relationship between the University of Arkansas Libraries, the Quill Project and the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General.

“This is an excellent partnership,” Battles said. “We’ve been told by the Quill Project that the level of engagement from a state attorney general and a flagship university is unique among the state projects they are working on.”

Key collaborators from Pembroke College working on the Arkansas portion of the Quill Project include Deputy Director Ruth Murray, Senior Documentary Editor Bethany Jedlicka and Editorial Assistant Amisha Chaudhry.

Students at the University of Arkansas have also played an important role in preparing the materials for the platform. Student research assistants Ashlyn Fox, Brock Manasseri and Kailee Rowe have worked with the Quill team to transcribe convention proceedings, research delegate biographies and model the work of convention committees so the information can be visualized digitally.

Their work includes summarizing daily convention sessions, analyzing committee reports and verifying historical details to ensure the digital records accurately reflect the original sources.

The Arkansas project is part of a broader effort by the Quill Project to digitally reconstruct the creation of major U.S. state constitutional documents. Future phases of the Arkansas project will add materials for the 1836 and 1868 state constitutions along with information on the more than 100 amendments that have been added to the 1874 Constitution.

Battles said the digital platform helps make the state’s constitutional history more accessible by allowing users to explore how the document was created rather than only reading the final text.

“The goal is to help people better understand how these foundational documents came together,” he said. “It gives a clearer picture of the discussions, negotiations and decisions that shaped the constitution we still use today.”

About the University of Arkansas Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university’s main research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.5 million volumes and more than 290,000 journals and offer research assistance, study spaces, printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibits and events. The Libraries’ Special Collections division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials on Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries’ website at libraries.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

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.