Arkansas State Press

American newspaper

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The Arkansas State Press was a weekly pro-civil rights newspaper published in Arkansas. Lucius Christopher Bates and his wife, Daisy Bates, were its publishers. The newspaper was known for its fearless reporting on issues affecting Black residents, including police brutality and the need for social and economic improvements.12

The Bateses were vocal supporters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and played a crucial role in the integration of Little Rock's Central High School in 1957. Their advocacy led to intimidation and violence from segregationists, and advertisers boycotted the paper, forcing its closure in 1959. Daisy Bates later resurrected the newspaper in 1984.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Lucius Christopher Bates
…was the publisher of the Arkansas State Press, a weekly pro-civil rights newspaper. In 1957, after Governor Orval Faubus called out the state’s National Guard in an attempt to thwart the racial integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Bates and his wife, Daisy, ushered nine African American…
Read More
…was the publisher of the Arkansas State Press, a weekly pro-civil rights newspaper. In 1957, after Governor Orval Faubus called out the state’s National Guard in an attempt to thwart the racial integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Bates and his wife, Daisy, ushered nine African American…
Read More