Other days

100 YEARS AGO

March 17, 1924

▪ Discussing the subject, “How to Achieve Success,” Judge John W. Wade of Circuit Court spoke to more than 1,500 negroes yesterday afternoon at a mass meeting of the American Civic League, held at the Taborian temple on West Ninth street. The jurist spoke on many ways in which he said members of the negro race might achieve success, urging his hearers principally to do well whatever is undertaken. This was the first mass meeting of the league since its organization about two months ago. According to plans of the organization, well-known speakers of both races will, from time to time, address mass meetings.

50 YEARS AGO

March 17, 1974

▪ A biracial group of nine Arkansas businessmen want to form the state’s first “minority oriented” bank. Blacks would hold a controlling interest in the bank and it would cater to black customers. The group has already filed a letter of intent with the regional administrator of national banks at Memphis, and a conference with the administrator is set for April 2. Walter Cunningham of Little Rock, a spokesman for the organizers, said that while all action thus far had been toward obtaining a national bank charter, the group still was considering an effort to organize a state bank.

▪ The Central Arkansas Transit Authority board of directors on Tuesday approved the final design and construction budget

25 YEARS AGO

March 17, 1999

of the River Cities Travel Center. The travel center, to be located on East Capitol Avenue, will cost about $2.7 million, according to preliminary estimates. The new bus station will have 20 or 21 bus parking spaces for loading and unloading passengers and will be capable of accommodating 2,000 to 3,000 people daily. Architects with the Gaskin Hill Norcross firm said they have designed a facility that will blend in with the historic and eclectic Quapaw Quarter neighborhood.

10 YEARS AGO

March 17, 2014

▪ A record number of Arkansas Republican women are seeking office this election year and, for the first time ever, next year the state Supreme Court will have a female majority. Arkansas has a history of strides-making women in politics. The first woman to serve a full term as a U.S. senator was Hattie Caraway, who made her way from Jonesboro to Washington, D.C. Caraway was first appointed to fill the term of her husband, Thaddeus, who died while in office, but she later ran for election and won. Some female politicians, candidates and organizers say the state has fallen behind in terms of the overall number of women serving in state and federal political offices. The Center for American Women and Politics ranked Arkansas 41st in the nation in terms of the proportion of female politicians. No Arkansas women currently hold federal or constitutional offices, and the number of women serving in the 135-member General Assembly has dropped since a peak of 31 in 2009. There are currently 23 women total serving in both chambers.