Before and After
The 1959 fire at the Negro Boys Industrial School in Wrightsville, Arkansas killed 21 young men.
These photos show the Wrightsville campus before and after the fire. The dormitory was built in the 1930s, but by 1959 years of neglect and delayed maintenance had left the structure in severe disrepair. The fire started sometime before 3 a.m., and by sunrise the building was reduced to smoldering ruins. To help orient you to the scene, the tree visible in the distance appears in both images, taken just a few years apart.
(Left) Photo credit Associated Press
(Right) Photo credit Negro Boys Industrial School. Bailey Family Photograph Collection, ca. 1895–1964 (ualr.ph.0083), UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture.