The people of Arkansas are as wonderfully diverse as the varied landscapes on which they settled. Even today, the population of Arkansas reflects the ethnic diversity of the immigrants who centuries ago traveled from around the world to settle here.
Native American Indians, European-Americans, and African-Americans made up the largest portion of the population in the sparsely settled regions of Arkansas up until the eve of the Civil War. Most of these people arrived to take advantage of the cheap land available in the new state of Arkansas. Most African-Americans were brought to the state as slaves.
After 1865, a new wave of immigration swept through the United States. Companies sought to bring immigrants to Arkansas through newspaper advertisements, exhibits, books, promotional articles and pamphlets. Europeans, Asians and African-Americans settled throughout the state and brought their cultures with them. Today, the legacy of these people tells the story of Arkansas.
- Native Americans including Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Choctaw and Chickasaw
- European-Americans - French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Scottish and Swiss
- African-Americans from Antebellum, Civil War, Reconstruction and 20th century
- Asian Americans - Chinese and Japanese
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