Arkansas’ First PeopleS Heritage

Land Acknowledgment, Arkansas 

We acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory and homelands of the people of Caddo, Quapaw, Osage, Cherokee, and other First Peoples. We find it important to recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose homelands of this place and to give recognition of the original people who have lived and worked on the land from time immemorial.  It is important to realize the longstanding history that has brought us to reside and occupy these lands and to seek to appreciate our place within that history. We are here today in this space because of colonialism, industrialism, etc., that without acknowledgment, included the theft and forced relocation of land from native people.

In appreciation for the First Peoples’ contribution to Arkansas, we encourage members to make a commitment to learn more about their culture and history at any of our state’s Native American heritage sites. Recommendations include visiting the traditional native sites, like Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park outside of Scott, the prehistoric rock art at Petit Jean State Park’s Rock House Cave, the Mississippian Archeological site in Parkin; or any of the exhibits curated at the Sequoyah National Research Center at UA Little Rock, Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock, Hampson Archeological Museum State Park in Wilson, Arkansas State University Museum in Jonesboro, or the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville.

Arkansas’ First Peoples Heritage Sites

Hampson Archeological Museum State Park | Wilson – a notable and award-winning collection of Nodena artifacts from a tribe living in the horseshoe bend of the Mississippi River from 1400-1600 AD. Displays interpret the life of these aboriginal people as farmers and cultivators of the land that makes up Mississippi County.

Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park | Scott – A National Historic Landmark preserving the Plum Bayou people’s ritual grounds and social gathering space.

Parkin Archeological State Park | Parkin – initially discovered by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, the park preserves the original village of the Casqui people.

Sequoya National Research Center | Little Rock – Named for an Arkansas Cherokee leader who developed the Cherokee alphabet, the center holds the most extensive collection of Native American expressions worldwide, including newspapers, art, poetry and history books.

Museum of Native American Heritage | Bentonville – MONAH is the best spot in Arkansas to explore Native American history. Collections of pottery, traditional feathered headdresses, moccasins, farming tools, art, and even a gigantic mammoth skeleton, tell the story of multiple tribes and their ancestral presence in Arkansas.

Ka-do-ha Village | Murphreesboro – a Caddo Indian burial ground and ritual site. Neolithic and Mississippian period pottery, a digging area, and touring the dirt mounds are highlights of the visit. In the American Indian oral tradition, stories were long told about the Spring so many on that route knew to stop at Blue Spring for hope and healing on a journey with impossible odds.

Blue Springs Heritage Center | Eureka Springs – a sacred oasis for the Cherokee people during the Trail of Tears, the site was originally a trading post area for the Osage. A bluff rock formation provided shelter near the healing waters of the blue spring, where inhabitants began an onsite tradition of stone stacking formations.

Arkansas Post National Historic Site | Gillet – Henri de Tonti established a fur trading post at Osotouy, a Quapaw village at the mouth of the Arkansas River and the site of the first encounter of Europeans and Native Americans in Arkansas.

Saracen Casino Resort and Jefferson County Historical Museum | Pine Bluff – Quapaw artifacts and art depicting the story of Saracen, a Quapaw Indian appointed by Arkansas to negotiate for land and lead a movement to rescue white children from the Chickasaw Indians; a mural downtown visually tells this story.

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail | across the state – the Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal of Native American tribes due to the Indian Removal Act of 1830. All five major tribes were forced to land west of Arkansas; therefore, three main routes, including ⅓ of the Benge and Bell routes, cross through Arkansas

These sites are sometimes hard to explore but connecting our stories to the storied history of the area around us is vital. If there is a site that helps share the experiences and stories of Arkansas' First Peoples in your section of Arkansas, please feel free to email zatucker@asub.edu to add to our list. 

Educational Resources on Arkansas’ First Peoples

Arkansas PBS.  Arkansas's First People Series -  As part of American Experience's We Shall Remain, Arkansas's First People is a 5-part series featuring unique perspectives on American Indian cultural legacy, archaeological data, and interviews with modern tribal representatives of those who had and still have an impact on Arkansas. 

Link: Arkansas PBS

Satos, George, III. Native Americans. (Article) Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Central Arkansas Library System. Updated July 13, 2023. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/native-americans-408/ 

Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism. NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IN ARKANSAS. (Article) Updated July 2021. https://www.arkansas.com/articles/native-american-history-arkansas