On the wall of Rob Rash's office in West Memphis are framed photos of presidents of the St. Francis Levee District dating back to 1893. That was the year the district, which became one of the most powerful economic and political entities in the state, was established.
The history of Arkansas is tied to the history of cotton cultivation. Slaves were brought to Arkansas to raise cotton. After the Civil War, a system of tenant farming and sharecropping emerged and was a central part of the state's economy for decades.
The steaks are thick at Mel's Steaks & Catering in Harrisburg, and I make sure to have rice on the side rather than a baked potato. After all, I'm having lunch with some of the leading rice producers in northeast Arkansas.
OPINION | REX NELSON: Slavery in Arkansas arkansasonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from arkansasonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Slavery in Arkansas nwaonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nwaonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.