Wednesday’s Wonderful Collection - Rogerline Johnson photograph collection, MS.000754

Rogerline Johnson was born in 1927 to Henry and Rita Johnson in Columbus, Hempstead County, Arkansas. After completing high school in 1944 at Yerger High School in Hope, Arkansas, Johnson attended Arkansas Agricultural Mechanical and Normal College (now University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff). He became interested in photography during his college years and upon graduating in 1948 briefly taught science and coached football in Marianna before pursuing a career in photography. In 1952, he married Ludie Dolphin and began their family in Lake View. That same year, Johnson opened Johnson’s Studio in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Active in community life, Johnson ran for public office on three separate occasions though did not win his campaigns. He continued to be active in the local community, as reflected in his photography subjects. Rogerline Johnson died in November of 1996.

This collection is comprised of photographic reproductions from black and white negatives of images taken by Rogerline Johnson, as well as promotional materials from a 2004 traveling exhibit of his work. The subjects and themes of Johnson’s body of work are of black life, the black experience, and the black community in the Arkansas Delta, primarily in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas.

·         File 1

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.01: Portrait of Rogerline Johnson posed with camera. Photographed in Johnson’s Studio, located in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1961

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.02: The Roger Johnson Orchestra, jazz and blues band. L-R: LeRoy Dolphin, Fred Starkey, Curtis Pete Wilson, unidentified member, Roger Johnson, and unidentified member. Photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1960

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.03: Mattie May Whyte Woodridge, 1909 – 1999, posed behind desk. Principal of North End Elementary School. Founder of National Teacher’s Day. Worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to establish this national holiday. Photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1955

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.04: Ms. Minor with student and spelling bee champion William Duncan, posed on steps of train. Pair heading to Chicago for national spelling bee competition. Photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1957

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.05: Unidentified woman and children at train station landing sending off spelling bee champion William Duncan. Children performing in small marching band. Other children standing with signs. Photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1957

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.06: Unidentified woman with female student and spelling bee winner of West Side School, posed on train station landing. Pair heading to Houston, Texas for national spelling bee competition. Photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1957

·         File 2

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.07: Elton Hammonds, teacher, and unidentified student raising flag during ceremony at Eliza Miller High School. Photographed in West Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1955

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.08: View of showers in Eliza Miller High School. Photograph taken to demonstrate segregated facilities were separate but unequal. Photographed at Eliza Miller High School, located in West Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1952

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.09: View of row of toilets in Eliza Miller High School. Photograph taken to demonstrate segregated facilities were separate but unequal. Photographed at Eliza Miller High School, located in West Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1952

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.10: View of businesses along road in Lake View, a small rural community primarily made up of black residents. Lake View was established as a black rural resettlement program by the United States Resettlement Administration during the Depression to aid farm families in becoming land and home owners. Photographed Lake View, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.11: View of Lake View High School marching band. Lake View was established as a black rural resettlement program by the United States Resettlement Administration during the Depression to aid farm families in becoming land and home owners. Photographed Lake View, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.12: View of all female typist class with teacher. Likely photographed at Lake View High School. Lake View was established as a black rural resettlement program by the United States Resettlement Administration during the Depression to aid farm families in becoming land and home owners. Photographed Lake View, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

·         File 3

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.13: View of ceremony photographed at Lake View High School. Likely a homecoming queen and junior queen ceremony. Lake View was established as a black rural resettlement program by the United States Resettlement Administration during the Depression to aid farm families in becoming land and home owners. Photographed Lake View, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.14: Members of congregation of unknown church. Likely photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.15: Members of congregation of unknown church in front of brick structure. Likely photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.16: Members of congregation of unknown church taking part in lake baptism [body of water unknown]. Likely photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1957

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.17: Members of congregation of unknown church in front of wooden church. Likely photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.18: Unknown individuals during ceremony or social event. Unidentified woman crowning another unidentified woman. Two unidentified men looking on. Roger Johnson Orchestra on stage in background. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s – 1960s

·         File 4

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.19: View of unidentified men and one woman during Alpha Phi Alpha event. Fraternity symbols and sign reading Sphinxmen’s Sweetheart Miss Erma Greene 1966. Alpha Phi Alpha is the first black Greek fraternal organization, founded in 1906 in New York. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1966

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.20: Unidentified woman in fez reading [S]pince Court No. 50. May be a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1940s – 1960s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.21: Three unidentified women seated around table. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1960s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.22: Baseball team. Photograph reads Rondo Sluggers – 1967. Unknown location in Arkansas, possibly Rondo, Lee County. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1967

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.23: View of football players on field during a game. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Date unknown

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.24: Unidentified individuals posed beside 1952 Oldsmobile 88 Rocket. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s – 1960s

·         File 5

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.25: Unidentified individuals with child posed beside 1952 Oldsmobile 88 Rocket. Likely photographed in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s – 1960s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.26: Unidentified individuals posed indoors for what appears to be a multi-generational family photograph. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.27: Unidentified individuals posed outdoors for what appears to be a multi-generational family photograph. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.28: Unidentified individuals posed around table with glasses raised. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.29: Unidentified child in old fashioned baby walker. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.30: Unidentified child posed beside table with presents and cake. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Circa 1950s

·         File 6

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.31: Portrait of unidentified man in military uniform. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Date unknown

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.32: Portrait of unidentified woman in fur collar with cigarette. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Date unknown

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.33: Portrait of unidentified man in business casual attire. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Date unknown

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.34: Portrait of unidentified woman in dress attire. Unknown location in Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. Date unknown

o    PH.RogerlineJohnson.35: Portrait of unidentified demonstrator with sign reading “Make whites right, No Shopping”. Photographed during Marianna Boycott in Marianna, Lee County, Arkansas. Black and white photographic reproduction. 1971

·         File 7

o    "Through The Lens of Rogerline Johnson" traveling exhibit promotional materials.

·         File 8

o    African-American Life in the Arkansas Delta Through the Lens of Rogerline Johnson: 1952 - 1971 [book]

General Note

This book can also be found in the Arkansas State Archives research room: F417 .A67 J64 2004

Dr. Richter Retires as Archives Director, State Historian

Dr. Wendy Richter

After a long struggle with her health, Dr. Wendy Richter has retired as the state historian and director of the Arkansas State Archives.

“This is my dream job,” Dr. Richter said earlier this year. But, after rounds of chemotherapy and radiation followed by a serious car wreck, Dr. Richter said she found it necessary to focus on her own health.

“I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to lead the effort in protecting and preserving Arkansas's past. The Archives staff and I take very seriously the responsibility to ensure that Arkansas history is not lost,” Dr. Richter wrote in an Aug. 22 column for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Dr. Richter had served as director once before between 2005 and 2012. She returned to the head Archives position about 15 months ago and paved the way for acquiring new collections, equipment and funding for the division.

“Our Arkansas State Archives has blossomed under the leadership of Dr. Wendy Richter, and we are sad to see her leave,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “Wendy’s spirit and love for the history and heritage of Arkansas has remained strong and apparent. We wish her all the best.”

Under Dr. Richter, the State Archives began a project to create a new website, the Arkansas Digital Archives, to expand the Archives’ online digital collections and create unified searches of various collections and databases. New equipment recently was installed in the research room and new collections, including the U.S. Western District of Arkansas Court Records were acquired throughout Dr. Richter’s tenure.

Staff also have increased outreach efforts, including lectures, webinars and conferences. Staff traveled to several counties this year to help them better preserve their records or transfer historical records to the State Archives. Some of those records date back to 1815.

The State Archives also celebrated the Arkansas Bicentennial and produced a traveling exhibit on the Arkansas Territory this year. The exhibit was so popular a second copy was created to meet demand. Both exhibits are reserved through 2020.

Dr. Richter has always believed in reaching out to and honoring volunteers. In July, she held a thank you reception for volunteers and has constantly expressed gratitude. Under Dr. Richter, volunteer participation increased and archival donations rose 71 percent in fiscal year 2019 over the same time a year ago.

“We are proud of the achievements the Arkansas State Archives saw under the direction of Dr. Richter,” said Julienne Crawford, interim director. “We will continue her good work by focusing on making documents more easily accessible to the public while maintaining and preserving Arkansas’s unique heritage and history.”

NEARA Symposium Captivates Crowd

Dr. Fatme Myuhtar-May, archival manager,
at the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives
makes a presentation Aug. 10 during the
annual symposium.

About 46 people gathered on a recent Saturday morning to learn how the history of transportation in Arkansas impacted the development of the state.

“The evolution of transportation in Arkansas greatly impacted the state’s economic development, cultural make up and diversity by providing different, easier and newer means of moving goods and people,” said Dr. Fatme Myuhtar-May, archival manager. “NEARA holds a symposium every year in August on a topic that is of historical significance to Northeast Arkansas. This topic, however, was also relevant to the state overall.”

“Moving About: The History of Transportation in Arkansas” was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at Arkansas State University’s student union in Jonesboro. This year’s symposium addressed transportation and the various ways people moved into and about in historic Arkansas. Special speakers Joan Gould, Robert Craig, and Dr. Michael Dougan addressed the topics of trails, river transportation and railways.

For most of its early history, the state, especially the Delta region, was difficult to navigate by land due to the swampy terrain, so rivers were the Arkansas highways for most of the 1800s. With the emergence of the railways in the late 1800s and the building of drainage ditches, transportation vastly improved. Railroads provided an easier way to transport goods and improved the Arkansas economy.

Various modes of transportation played a pivotal role in shaping the state of Arkansas throughout its history. For example, the transportation of goods moved from the railroads to highways and interstates, changing where people lived, how goods were delivered and how people traveled.

Dr. Michael Dougan, a renowned history professor, talked about the history of railroads and highways in Arkansas and the way their emergence and development impacted the state economically, socially and politically. He presented original photographs and documents from his personal archives collected over three decades.

Robert Craig, an award-winning historian, discussed the history of transportation on the White, Black and other rivers in Arkansas, especially the use of flatboats and keelboats as an early mode of river transport.

Joan Gould, a longtime preservation consultant, gave a spellbinding talk on the use of trails and ancient pathways by Native Americans, Euro-American and African American farmers who settled in the state and developed its economy.

Audience members said they were captivated by the lectures. During and following the symposium, participants asked whether the lecture materials would be available online for further references and expressed interest in attending NEARA’s next year’s symposium, which will be held in Walnut Ridge.

“This symposium was a chance for Arkansans who are interested in the history of transportation to see, hear and learn how advances in and access to transportation technology affected Arkansas’s people, quality of life and economy,” Myuhtar-May said. “How great is it that NEARA and the Arkansas State Archives hold events, including this symposium, that showcase and explore different aspects of our collective history and identity? Our history and heritage is unique, rich and diverse.”

SARA Genealogy Lecture Planned at State Park

Melissa Nesbitt, archival manager at the
Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives
lectures to students at Red Lick Middle School
in Texarkana in 2017. Photo courtesy of the
Arkansas State Archives.

The Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives will present a free, genealogy workshop 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Queen Wilhelmina State Park.

Have you ever wanted to find out who your ancestors were?  Then, this workshop is for you!

SARA Archival Manager Melissa Nesbitt will present “Behind the Scenes: How to Start Researching Your Family History.” The workshop is an introduction into basic genealogy research. Attendees can bring family information, such as family members’ full names, place of residency and dates of birth, marriage and death for help researching. Participants will have the chance to ask questions and practice research skills gleaned from the workshop!

Nesbitt will talk about techniques and tips, including:

1.       Start your research sooner rather than later. Ask older relatives what they remember about your family.

2.       Don’t just focus on your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Extended family members often migrated together. This means you can trace siblings to find and verify you’re tracking the right family.

3.       In genealogy research, you always start with what you know and work backward. Don’t make the mistake of trying to start with a famous person you’ve heard you’re related to. Start with yourself.

Nesbitt, who joined the Arkansas State Archives in 2014, is a skilled genealogy researcher whose methods bring results. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, was the curator at Ace of Clubs House at Texarkana Museums System and is a member of the Arkansas Genealogical Society. She has held genealogy research lectures, workshops and symposium events for years.

For more information about the workshop or SARA, contact Nesbitt at melissa.nesbitt@arkansas.gov or at 870-983-2633. Tickets are available for free via Eventbrite.

Civil War Lecture Draws Crowd

Mark Christ speaks about Jacob Haas, a Civil War soldier,
during Pen to Podium on Aug. 20 at the Department of
Arkansas Heritage in Little Rock. 

Young men who signed up to serve during the Civil War faced a brutal reality, said local historian and author Mark Christ during a recent lecture at the Department of Arkansas Heritage. The grittiness of the war was captured in the diary of Jacob Haas, a 22-year-old German immigrant.

“The Jacob Haas diary is one of the most comprehensive, first-person accounts of a common soldier's experience in the Trans-Mississippi, including military activities in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and the Indian Territory, which is now modern-day Oklahoma,” Christ said.

More than 50 people turned out Tuesday, Aug. 20, to hear Christ discuss his book, “This Day We Marched Again: A Union Soldier’s Account of the War in Arkansas and the Trans-Mississippi” during the Pen to Podium: Arkansas Historical Writers’ Lecture Series. Christ’s book follows Haas who enlisted with the Union Army.

The diary was kept in Haas’ family and transcribed into English by a family member. The family eventually contacted Christ, who expanded the story by researching Haas’ accounts. The lecture included historical maps and old photos of Haas.

“We’ve heard Mark talk about the Civil War before,” said Gwen Moritz, of North Little Rock. “He’s such an expert.”

The Arkansas State Archives' Pen to Podium lectures are meant to give residents a unique experience in Arkansas history. Authors have the chance to talk about their research and their books, attendees hear stories and little-known historical facts about Arkansas and the Friends of the Arkansas State Archives host a reception that brings people together.

Several attendees at Christ’s lecture said they were impressed by how expressive and detailed the diary and Christ’s research were. Attendees lined up after the speech to buy a book.

“For those of us who are interested in history, how else would you get this kind of experience?” asked Moritz about Pen to Podium. The lecture series is a chance to hear experts’ thoughts, she said.

Other attendees wanted to hear the personal stories, such as those Christ uncovered during his research. Haas wrote about the earth exploding around him, about men whose gums bled from scurvy, about endless marching and hunger and about freeing African Americans from slavery.

“I loved that it was a personal account ­– I loved that,” said Jan Badeaux, of Little Rock.  She said it was interesting how Haas talked about fields and flowers in Arkansas but then wrote that even beauty becomes mundane after a while.

George Grayson, another audience member, said his family recently emigrated from Croatia to the U.S., so he related to Haas’ accounts. Grayson is the first in his family to be born in United States, he said.

Christ’s lecture presented a historical account that was fascinating on multiple levels, Grayson and Badeaux said. 

“We want to learn about the place we live because it’s rich in history and colorful people,” Badeaux said. “We want to be a part of that.”

The next Pen to Podium event will be Tuesday, Nov. 12, and will feature Joe David Rice, a native Arkansan and former tourism director. He is the author of “Arkansas Backstories, Volumes 1 and 2,” which highlights lesser-known aspects of Arkansas history.

For more information, contact the State Archives at state.archives@arkansas.gov or at 501-682-6900.

Opa! A History of Greek Foodways

The Arkansas State Archives, along with the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, is pleased to announce the sixth annual Arkansas foodways symposium from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College at 13000 Interstate 30 in Little Rock.

“Our annual foodways symposium celebrates the historical, cultural diversity in Arkansas by showcasing our state’s rich heritage through food,” said Julienne Crawford, curator and interim director of the Arkansas State Archives. “We are thrilled to focus this year’s symposium on the fascinating history and delicious foods of Greek communities in Arkansas.”

The foodways symposium’s theme is “Opa! A History of Greek Foodways” with a free lunch prepared and served by students and staff at the college’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute. This year’s event will include presentations by Jeanne Spencer on the History of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and Gus Vratsinas on Little Rock’s Greek Food Festival. Eva Sargant and Peri Leak will demonstrate preparing Greek pastries.

The event is free, but seating is limited. Seats must be reserved by Sept. 10. Tickets are available online or by calling 501-682-6900.

Teachers can earn up to three professional development credit hours by attending the event.

The annual foodways symposiums, which the Arkansas State Archives organizes, connect hundreds of people with Arkansas’s culture, history and food every year. Special speakers talk about the history of the food and the communities from which they came, chefs demonstrate cooking techniques and the ethnic-themed lunch brings audiences taste-experiences.

Past symposiums include: Everything Old is New Again: The Arkansas Foodways Movement (2014,) The Roots of African American Foodways in Arkansas (2015,) Southern Fried Schnitzel: German Food and Culture in Arkansas (2016,) Fruit of the Vine: Arkansas’s Italian Communities and Foodways (2017) and From China’s Farmland to Arkansas’s Delta: A History of Arkansas’s Chinese Immigrants (2018.)

“The symposiums allow Arkansans the chance to see history through food and to discuss influential ethnic groups,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the department. “Food is of tremendous historical importance because it is a window into how people lived and a connection to our past."

For more information, visit www.archives.arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900.

Staff Lectures Showcase State Archives

Jane A. Wilkerson, archival assistant, presents a lecture for the
Johnson County Historical Society in Clarksville on Aug. 1.

What exactly does the Arkansas State Archives do?

In addition to our efforts to preserve and make available the historical resources at the Arkansas State Archives and its two branches, our staff is dedicated to reaching out to communities across the state through various types of programs and consultations. Arkansas State Archives staff has been traveling across the state to give presentations, lectures and discussions to societies, associations, groups and communities interested in Arkansas history, preservation, research and genealogy.

“We are committed to making our records accessible and to reaching out to our communities to make sure they know what historical material and documents we possess. We want people to be able to understand and use their State Archives,” said Jane A. Wilkerson, archival assistant. “These lectures are an important part of what we do.”

Wilkerson presented information about the Archives during an Aug. 1 presentation to the Johnson County Historical Society in Clarksville. She gave a brief history of the division, which is now part of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, and introduced the crowd to the branches of the State Archives – The Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives. Those branches house specific collections.

Wilkerson emphasized the unique items Archives has related to Johnson County, including newspapers, archival collections, books and county records. She also discussed the new and exciting changes that were coming in the research room, online and our volunteer projects.  Attendees were particularly interested volunteering to index historical records.   

After the presentation, Wilkerson spoke with Mark Hodge about county records housed at the historical society. The society rescued records from the courthouse and are interested in transferring them to the archives for preservation. 

“We are always interested in talking with groups and helping preserve records,” Wilkerson said. Staff have met with county officials, including Lee and Hempstead counties, to talk about preservation and transfers of records.

For information about staff presentations, volunteering or on how to donate historical material, please contact the Arkansas State Archives at 501-682-6900 or by email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.