1. In 1967, Arkansas State University officially became a university, changing its name from Arkansas State College.

2. On October 2, 1986, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton declared a state of emergency due to severe flooding along the Arkansas River.

3. In 1906, the Arkansas School for the Deaf was established in Little Rock on October 2, providing educational opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing students in the state.

4. On October 2, 1911, the infamous "Osage Indian murders" trial began in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, involving the murder of wealthy Osage people in Arkansas and Oklahoma for their oil rights.

5. In 1979, Arkansas native and country music icon Johnny Cash was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee on October 2, recognizing his significant contributions to the genre.