History is topic

The Arkansas Historical Association’s 78th annual conference will take place April 11-13 in Stuttgart. Programs and field trips will explore the conference theme of “Land, Race and Identity” and will mark several major anniversaries, including the bicentennial of the formation of Arkansas Territory and the centennial of the Elaine Race Riot.

Keynote talks will be given by Calvin White Jr., associate dean of humanities and professor of history at the University of Arkansas, who will present “Rectifying the Identity of a Black Southerner,” and Joseph Key, professor of history at Arkansas State University, who will discuss “The Significance of the Territory in Arkansas History.” The conference registration fee is $10.

In conjunction with the conference, a two-session genealogy workshop will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. April 11. Workshop leaders are professional genealogist Jeanne Rollberg and Gary Jones, graduate of the Heritage Studies program at Arkansas State University. Session I, “Not All Who Wander Are Lost,” will focus on using local history resources as part of genealogy research. Session II, “A Boy Named Sue,” will examine family and cultural identities both in Arkansas and beyond. The genealogy workshop fee is $20, which includes a membership in the Arkansas Historical Association.

Conference sessions and the genealogy workshop will be held at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. Deadline to register is March 29.

Information: arkansas historicalassociation.org or (479) 575-5884.