Arkansas Press Women (APW) has been selected as one of the organizations participating in the 2026 Community History Seminar hosted by the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), joining a cohort of community organizations committed to preserving and sharing Arkansas’s rich history.
The seminar provides training, guidance, and resources to help community organizations document their history, preserve important records, and make their stories accessible to future generations. Throughout the program, participants work alongside archivists, historians, and preservation professionals to develop strategies for organizing historical materials and creating sustainable archival practices.
Founded in 1949, Arkansas Press Women is a statewide professional organization dedicated to supporting communicators through professional development, networking, recognition, scholarships, and advocacy for excellence in journalism, public relations, marketing, and communications.
As APW approaches its 80th anniversary, participation in the seminar offers an opportunity to preserve decades of organizational records, photographs, publications, and the stories of the women who have shaped communications in Arkansas.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Arkansas Press Women to preserve our legacy while preparing it for future generations,” said APW President Angie Faller. “For nearly eight decades, our members have documented history, told the stories of others, and championed excellence in communications. Through this seminar, we’ll learn how to better preserve our own story so future members, researchers, and Arkansans can understand the impact women communicators have made across our state.”
The seminar will also help APW identify best practices for organizing its historical collections, expanding access to archival materials, and ensuring the organization’s history remains available to members and the public.
“I am very grateful for the Central Arkansas Library System’s generosity in giving the APW this opportunity,” said APW Historian Sonny Rhodes. “As one who has spent countless hours in archives trying to piece together and make sense of historic records, I have come to greatly appreciate collections that are well organized and documented. I look forward to learning new ways to preserve and present APW’s rich history for generations to come.”
Arkansas Press Women is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women and welcomes professionals and students working across journalism, public relations, marketing, communications, photography, broadcasting, publishing, and related fields.