1864 Arkansas Constitutional Convention

This study reveals the identity and background of the constitutional delegates who attempted to mend the division brought about by Civil War and bring Arkansas back into the Union. This biographical sketch of the delegates provides a detailed account of their background and how it influenced the convention proceedings. The delegates' identity was virtually unknown prior to this study. The convention convened during the middle of the American Civil War and its members and accomplishments were ignored or minimized in prior studies. Subsequent conventions overshadowed this crucial convention and the diverse assembly of delegates. This study addresses questions posed by historians of subsequent Arkansas constitutional conventions. Examining the character of these delegates fills a gap in Arkansas history, and provides valuable insight into the personal lives of political powerbrokers during the turbulent era of Reconstruction in Arkansas. This study provides background material for researchers interested in Arkansas history and Reconstruction.