1. Arkansas celebrates its statehood anniversary on September 30th. On this day in 1836, Arkansas officially became the 25th state to join the United States.

2. In 1957, nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, attempted to attend Little Rock’s Central High School, which had just been integrated following the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision. On September 30th of that year, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to block the entrance of the school, resulting in a standoff that lasted for several weeks and eventually required federal intervention.

3. On September 30, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford visited the Arkansas state capitol in Little Rock to deliver a speech on bicentennial celebrations. His appearance was met with protests over his pardon of former President Richard Nixon, which had been announced just weeks before.

4. In 1989, a tornado outbreak struck parts of Arkansas and neighboring states on September 30th, resulting in 10 deaths and over 100 injuries. The town of Harrison, Arkansas, was hit particularly hard, with several buildings destroyed and numerous homes damaged.

5. On September 30th, 1927, the Arkansas State Teachers Association was officially chartered. The organization, which later became the Arkansas Education Association, has been an important voice for educators in the state for over 90 years.