The great Prison Scandal occurred in Arkansas, in which inmates were placed in charge of other inmates, terrible living conditions for prisoners were unveiled, and unconstitutional treatment was evident. Reformations were attempted by bringing in new authority, and although it failed, reconstruction of the state prison systems continued to take place. Along with prison reconstructions, President Lyndon B. Johnson released a massive reform movement called The Great Society in which programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, and Head Start were put into action. These programs brought reform to healthcare, education, and many other areas in which the United States and Arkansas needed to be strengthened. New laws and acts were passed in the 1960’s as well, bringing reconstruction to Arkansas. Two of the acts passed were the Civil Rights Act, which called for desegregation, and the Voting Rights Act, which stopped the poll tax, literary test, and discrimination during voting. Physical reconstruction occurred within Arkansas’ infrastructure with the building of new highways and roads that connected Arkansas to surrounding states. This allowed businesses to deliver their products, expand to diverse areas outside of the state, and participate in vertical integration in which business owners have complete control over every part of their industry. Each of …show more content…
Although Arkansas experienced an actual reconstruction by means of new laws, reformations within the state prison system, and improvements in infrastructure, the Second Reconstruction earned its nickname from historians due to the controversial Civil Rights Movement that occurred at the time. The Second Reconstruction became a vital part of Arkansas’ history in that it shaped the state Arkansas has become today, with its ever-modernizing economy and reformations that give the state its great historical qualities