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Rare & Intact: Official 1936 Arkansas Centennial \"President\'s Day\" Souvenir Program Booklet
Featuring Original Commemorative Portraits of President Franklin D. Roosevelt & First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Complete with Translucent Vellum WPA Pageant Insert — June 10, 1936
Up for sale is an incredibly scarce, highly collectible piece of 20th-century American political and regional history: the official 1936 Arkansas Centennial \"President\'s Day\" Souvenir Program Booklet.
This artifact was issued directly by the Arkansas Centennial Commission to commemorate the historic joint visit of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Little Rock on June 10, 1936.
Unlike the vast majority of copies from this era—which were routinely cut apart so the portraits could be framed individually—this booklet is completely intact, un-separated, and beautifully preserved in its original multi-page format.
KEY FEATURES & CONTENTS
President Franklin D. Roosevelt Portrait: A striking, formal black-and-white portrait print of the 32nd U.S. President, bordered by a distinctive, red-toned decorative architectural frame. Features a sharp pre-printed reproduction of FDR’s signature below the image.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Portrait: A matching, beautifully styled formal portrait print of Mrs. Roosevelt, complete with the identical red-toned border design and typeset nameplate. Finding her portrait still bound alongside FDR\'s is exceptionally difficult.
The Official Schedule & Itinerary Page: The left-hand text page provides a fascinating historical window into the First Couple\'s morning in Little Rock. It outlines their official \"morning break,\" a morning inspection, a high-profile formal breakfast hosted by the general chairman, Mrs. E. W. Lutterloh, Centennial Commission officials, and Arkansas Governor Junius Marion Futrell, followed by a scenic driving tour along \"Millionaire\'s Row.\"
Delicate Translucent Vellum Insert: A beautifully preserved, semi-transparent inner sheet serving as the official program for the Centennial Pageant, \"America Sings\", written by Frances Nimmo Greene and John McGee. This production was a massive joint venture between the historic New Deal relief programs: the WPA Federal Theatre Project and the WPA Federal Music Project. It includes audience singing cues for America, Arkansas (the state song), and The Star-Spangled Banner.
Local Industrial History Note: Printed clearly at the bottom margin of the vellum insert is a proud local manufacturing statement: \"This paper made in Arkansas by Southern Kraft Corporation at Camden.\" This highlights the Centennial Commission\'s choice to showcase Arkansas’s own paper industry directly to the visiting executive administration.
CONDITION REPORT
This item is in remarkable vintage condition given its 90-year age and the fragile nature of its components:
Portraits: Clean, crisp images with vibrant red borders. Free of any major staining, writing, or heavy foxing.
Vellum Insert: Flat and fully intact. Translucent vellum sheets from this era are highly prone to heavy creasing, severe tearing, or detached edges; this insert remains bound and structurally sound.
Edges/Binding: Shows minor, natural age-appropriate toning along the paper margins, which only enhances its authentic vintage character.
WHY THIS IS A MUST-HAVE FOR COLLECTORS
This unique booklet holds powerful cross-collectible appeal across several historical niches:
New Deal & WPA Enthusiasts: Excellent documentation of direct WPA Federal Theatre and Music Project collaboration.
Presidential & First Lady Ephemera: Features both FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt in a beautifully preserved dual-portrait layout.
Arkansas State History Buffs: A premier artifact from the 1936 Centennial, documenting a foundational moment when a sitting U.S. President visited the state to honor its 100th anniversary of statehood.
SHIPPING & HANDLING
Ships carefully flat-packed between thick, heavy-duty sheets of corrugated cardboard to prevent any bending, folding, or warping in transit.
Placed in an acid-free archival sleeve to shield the delicate paper and vellum from moisture.
Don\'t miss the chance to add this rare, complete, un-separated piece of 1936 history to your collection! Buy it now or place your offer today.
