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[bigboyz05]

Census: Majority of town is Hispanic

By: Eric Nicholson - Texarkana Gazette -Published: 02/19/2011

DE QUEEN, Ark.—Around lunchtime, the smell of cumin and sizzling meat wafts over Sevier County’s courthouse square from a corner taqueria.

A pair of piñatas flank the doors of a nearby storefront. In another, the windows are adorned with the glittering pastel quinceñera gifts. Signs in the windows of other businesses announce “Se habla espanol,” or, Spanish is spoken here.

It wasn’t like this even 15 years ago, but an influx of Hispanics in the past two decades has transformed the economic and cultural fabric of De Queen.

This was from the Texarkana Gazette. Sorry couldn't post whole article. Anyway, more than half of the city's 6,000 people consider themselves hispanic. This has to be the only majority hispanic town in Arkansas.

[Mith242]

bigboyz05, on 21 February 2011 - 05:27 PM, said:

Census: Majority of town is Hispanic

By: Eric Nicholson - Texarkana Gazette -Published: 02/19/2011

DE QUEEN, Ark.—Around lunchtime, the smell of cumin and sizzling meat wafts over Sevier County’s courthouse square from a corner taqueria.

A pair of piñatas flank the doors of a nearby storefront. In another, the windows are adorned with the glittering pastel quinceñera gifts. Signs in the windows of other businesses announce “Se habla espanol,” or, Spanish is spoken here.

It wasn’t like this even 15 years ago, but an influx of Hispanics in the past two decades has transformed the economic and cultural fabric of De Queen.

This was from the Texarkana Gazette. Sorry couldn't post whole article. Anyway, more than half of the city's 6,000 people consider themselves hispanic. This has to be the only majority hispanic town in Arkansas.

I think in a lot of ways it's not too surprising.  DeQueen was the first to really see the Hispanic influx in the state, even before Northwest Arkansas.  There's more Hispanics overall in Northwest Arkansas.  But there was also a good population base in place so you still don't see huge percentages as you do in DeQueen.  Although there are certainly sections of Rogers and especially Springdale that have large percentages of Hispanics.  No matter what everybody's views on Hispanics are, I think everyone has to realize they are here to stay and will continue to play a role in the future of the state.

[bigboyz05]

Mith242, on 22 February 2011 - 05:30 PM, said:

I think in a lot of ways it's not too surprising.  DeQueen was the first to really see the Hispanic influx in the state, even before Northwest Arkansas.  There's more Hispanics overall in Northwest Arkansas.  But there was also a good population base in place so you still don't see huge percentages as you do in DeQueen.  Although there are certainly sections of Rogers and especially Springdale that have large percentages of Hispanics.  No matter what everybody's views on Hispanics are, I think everyone has to realize they are here to stay and will continue to play a role in the future of the state.

Oh yeah, most definitely. Texarkana hasn't seen as big an increase as NWA or Little Rock but it's definitely a noticeable increase.