Urban League of Arkansas

06/19/2026

Recognizing Freedom

06/18/2026

Summit Schedule -

The two-story dogtrot structure was constructed by Jacob Wolf in 1829 as the first permanent courthouse for Izard County in Arkansas Territory.

06/14/2026

Arkansas – FieldWorks -

FieldWorks has helped to generate millions of phone calls, knocked on millions of doors, collected petition signatures from millions of citizens, and registered hundred of thousands of voters that have helped campaigns WIN!

06/07/2026

Check this out Sunday June 6 801 South Chester Little Rock ulark.org

05/28/2026

05/15/2026

Little Rock’s West Ninth Street—often called “The Line” or Little Rock’s version of Black Wall Street—was once the economic and cultural center of the city’s Black community from roughly the 1920s through the 1950s.

During segregation, African Americans were largely restricted from doing business elsewhere, so West 9th developed into a self-contained commercial corridor with hundreds of Black-owned businesses, churches, clubs, professional offices, and entertainment venues.

Some of the best-known businesses and institutions included:

* Dreamland Ballroom — a major music and dance venue that hosted legendary Black performers traveling the Chitlin’ Circuit.
* Taborian Hall — housed offices, retail shops, and the Dreamland Ballroom upstairs.
* Mosaic Templars of America — one of the largest Black fraternal and business organizations in the nation.
* Gem Pharmacy — a prominent Black-owned pharmacy and social gathering spot.
* Numerous barber shops, beauty salons, cafés, grocery stores, insurance agencies, doctors’ offices, funeral homes, tailors, and nightclubs.

The district also attracted nationally known entertainers including Duke Ellington, B.B. King, and Louis Armstrong during its peak years.

What happened to the businesses?

The decline was primarily caused by three interconnected forces:

1. Urban Renewal
In the late 1950s and 1960s, federal “urban renewal” programs labeled the neighborhood “blighted.” Large portions of West 9th Street were condemned and demolished. Property owners were often forced out through eminent domain.
2. Interstate 630 Construction
Construction of Interstate 630 physically cut through the historic Black business district and surrounding neighborhoods, destroying homes and commercial buildings. Historians describe this as one of the biggest losses of Black wealth and cultural infrastructure in Arkansas history.
3. Integration and Economic Shifts
After desegregation, Black consumers and professionals gained access to businesses in other parts of Little Rock. While that expanded opportunity, it also weakened the concentrated economic ecosystem that had sustained Ninth Street.

By the 1970s, most of the original corridor had disappeared. Today, only a few landmarks remain, especially:

* Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
* Dreamland Ballroom

There are now revitalization efforts trying to restore awareness of the district’s importance, including the “Beyond the Divide” initiative and historical preservation projects.

05/14/2026

This will be fun! Come enjoy

05/04/2026

"Beyond the Divide" is a pop-up Black-owned business district that hearkens back to the days before redlining and urban renewal destroyed what was a thriving minority community. Come visit
May 8-10. 11-9pm
724 W 9th St
Little Rock, Arkansas
72201