1. On May 12, 1825, the first steamboat arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was named the "Independence" and was operated by Captain Henry Atkinson.

2. The University of Arkansas School of Law was established on May 12, 1924. It is the only law school in the state and has produced many prominent lawyers and judges.

3. On May 12, 1862, the Civil War battle of Plum Bayou took place in Arkansas. It was part of the larger campaign to capture Little Rock and ended in a Confederate victory.

4. The Arkansas World War II Memorial was dedicated on May 12, 2018. It honors the 70,000 Arkansans who served in the war and includes a granite wall listing their names.

5. On May 12, 2012, a deadly tornado outbreak struck Arkansas. Eight people were killed and dozens more were injured as multiple tornadoes touched down in the state.