Fayetteville in Washington County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Early Integration

Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, November 11, 2023

1. Early Integration Marker

Inscription. The University of Arkansas became the first major Southern public university to admit a Black student without litigation when Silas Hunt, of Texarkana, an African-American veteran of World War II, was admitted to the university's law school in 1948. Roy Wilkins, administrator of the NAACP, wrote in 1950 that Arkansas was the “very first of the Southern states to accept the new trend without fighting a delaying action or attempting to … limit, if not nullify, bare compliance.” Silas Hunt Hall, across from the law school, was dedicated in his honor as the student admissions center in 1993.

Erected by Arkansas Alumni Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.

Location. 36° 4.217′ N, 94° 10.567′ W. Marker is in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in Washington County. Marker is at the intersection of West Maple Street and Garland Avenue, on the left when traveling west on West Maple Street. Marker is in front of Silas Hunt Hall at the University of Arkansas. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 471 Garland Ave, Fayetteville AR 72701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Dale Bumpers Legacy (within shouting distance of this marker); Six Pioneers

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(within shouting distance of this marker); First International Agriculture Mission (within shouting distance of this marker); Clintons on Law Faculty (within shouting distance of this marker); The Leflar Legacy (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The $300 Million Gift (about 500 feet away); Campaign for the Twenty-First Century (about 500 feet away); Senior Walk (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fayetteville.

Also see . . . Silas Herbert Hunt (1922–1949). Silas Herbert Hunt was a veteran of World War II and a pioneer in the integration of higher education in Arkansas and the South. (Richard A. Buckelew, Encyclopedia of Arkansas) (Submitted on May 30, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 20, 2023

2. Early Integration Marker

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 20, 2023

3. Early Integration Marker

Silas Herbert Hunt image. Click for full size.

University of Arkansas Libraries, Special Collections via Encyclopedia of Arkansas

4. Silas Herbert Hunt

He was the first African-American to enroll (in 1948), but died of tuberculosis just a year later.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 30, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 82 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 27, 2023, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 2, 3. submitted on May 30, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on May 26, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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