then and now
Janie C. Moore, Miss "A" State 1945-1946, with her royal court.
A Royal Lineage From Miss "A" State to Miss UAPB, the 90-year history behind the name continues to reveal much about the university's legacy By Stephanie Sims and John Martin | Photographs courtesy of University Museum and Cultural Center and UAPB Archives
The history of the university can be found throughout campus. With the presence of the annual homecoming celebration, much of UAPB’s legacy is on display. The week-long event is a time when the past comes to life, as traditions of old are new again. Alumni return to gather with students, staff, and the community to celebrate and to remember. One of the longest 38
standing traditions during this time is the crowning of the campus queen. This year, when the tiara is placed upon the head of Jade West, she will join a history spanning 90 years and a name lost to time. Prior to 1977, the crowning of a campus queen came with the title Miss “A” State. Despite the school being officially known at the time as Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical &
UAPB Magazine • University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Normal (AM&N) College, students still often referred to the university as “Arkansas State College”. The Arkansas State College moniker denoted the school’s purpose as an institution primarily for the education of African Americans, which can be seen on a plaque installed inside of Caldwell Hall.
