1. On March 9, 1862, during the Civil War, the Battle of Pea Ridge began in northwest Arkansas. The battle was a key Union victory and helped secure Missouri for the Union.

2. In 1959, on March 9, a historic tornado outbreak swept through Arkansas, causing widespread damage and killing 59 people. This event is still considered one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in Arkansas history.

3. On March 9, 1911, Arkansas ratified the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which established a federal income tax.

4. Among the notable individuals born on March 9 in Arkansas history is Conservative commentator, radio host, and author Mark Levin, who was born in Philadelphia but grew up in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, attended Temple University Ambler, and received a JD from Temple University Beasley School of Law.

5. On March 9, 2018, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a law allowing optometrists to perform certain surgical procedures. The law was controversial and drew criticism from ophthalmologists, who argued that the procedures should be performed only by medical doctors.