Downtown in Texarkana in Miller County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Jake Charles Jay Franks
Integrated Performances at the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 2025
1. Jake Charles Jay Franks Marker
Jake Charles Jay Franks was among the first Texarkanians to record under their own name on a prominent national record label, Modern Records, in 1952. Franks and other affiliated musicians made history when their racially-integrated ensemble performed to integrated audiences at the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium during the Jim Crow era on August 27, 1956, and again on August 28, 1956.
Erected 2017.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights • Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is August 27, 1956.
Location. 33° 25.444′ N, 94° 2.361′ W. Marker is in Texarkana, Arkansas, in Miller County. It is in Downtown. It can be reached from the intersection of East 3rd Street and Hazel Street, on the right when traveling east. The marker is embedded in the walkway at Arkansas Municipal Auditorium Walk of Fame Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 416 East 3rd Street, Texarkana AR 71854, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Gulf Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pat Cupp and The Flying Saucers (a few steps from this marker); Johnny Cash Performs at the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium (a few steps from this marker); Arkansas Municipal Auditorium Walk of Fame Park
this page online
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Arkansas Municipal Auditorium Walk of Fame Park
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 2025
2. Jake Charles Jay Franks Marker
Looking west through Walk of Fame Park. The Texarkana Arkansas Municipal Building is in the background. The marker is embedded in the walkway, near the center of the park.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 42 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
