Blog posts tagged with “pine-bluff”

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff just landed a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time in the school's history. Michelle Obama recently announced that she'll be presenting the commencement speech at the school in May. Why is this important? Well, for one thing, Pine Bluff was rated by Forbes magazine last year as one of the 10 most impoverished cities in the nation. Located in the Delta, the school was originally founded in 1873 to educate "the poorer classes" of Arkansas. According to the AP, the First Lady agreed to come to Pine Bluff because of the school's history: "The White House says the university was the only state-supported institution of higher education for African-Americans when it opened more than 130 years ago." Around Arkansas, Pine Bluff is known for its paper mills—and their distinctive smell—as well as for its arsenal, a major site for the demolition of chemical weapons. I'll be rooting for the plucky Golden Lions, even if they beat Winthrop on Tuesday and go up against my alma mater, the Blue Devils.

Here are some photos from the Arkansas Historic Commission.

Students at the Branch Normal College (the predecessor to the University of Arkansas—Pine Bluff) in 1925.

Graduation ceremony at Arkansas AM&N College (the predecessor to UA—PB) in the 1930s.

Destroying bombs at the Pine Bluff Arsenal in the 1950s.