Old State House Museum Collections Blog

Whilst preparing our Civil War collection for an upcoming series of exhibitions, I encountered a political handbill or advertisement I've not seen before in my research. The above image of Arkansas secession is quite rare, depicting the state of Arkansas as an elephant carrying the banner of states rights.Draped over the body of the elephant is a banner which reads "Arkansas is Aroused." Below the image is the inscription, "Arkansas men with elephantine power will make the Yankees quake and cower," "Little Rock, 1861." Of course this image appears before Thomas Nast's first portrayal of the Republican party as an elephant in 1874.