Scipio A. Jones Home

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Located at 1872 South Cross Street in the historic Dunbar neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, the Scipio A. Jones House stands as one of the community’s most architecturally significant Craftsman-style residences originally built for a Black homeowner. Constructed around 1928, the home was the final residence of Scipio Africanus Jones—an influential African American lawyer, judge, and civil rights leader. The house not only reflects Jones’s professional success but also serves as a lasting symbol of Black achievement in the face of early 20th-century racial and social constraints. 

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Architectural Description of the Home

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Exterior:

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• The house is a 1½-story Craftsman-style bungalow, distinguished by a broadly pitched front-gabled roof covered in red tile, with matching hipped roofs on the front porch, two-story rear section, and projecting rear bay.

• Exposed rafter ends and exposed beams beneath the eaves reinforce its classic Craftsman design.

• A band of three casement windows is centered in the front-facing gable.

• The first floor is clad in buff-colored brick, while the second-story rear section and front gable are finished in stucco.

• Original windows include many sets of paired or triple four-over-one double-hung sash windows, complemented by casement windows on the upper level and flanking the chimney.

• A full-width front porch features three bays supported by gray granite square columns. The central bay remains open, framed by a granite arch, while the north and south bays have been enclosed with aluminum windows.

• A now-demolished garage once stood at the rear of the property, accessible via a west-side driveway.

 

Interior:

 

While the interior details are less documented, the home likely includes:

 

• Original hardwood flooring

• Plaster or wood-paneled walls

• Craftsman-style millwork and built-ins

• Fireplace(s) with brick or tile hearths

• A practical and symmetrical layout common to higher-end Craftsman designs

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Historical Significance

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The Scipio A. Jones House is significant both for its architecture and its association with one of Arkansas’s most important civil rights figures:

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About Scipio A. Jones

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• Born into slavery in 1863, Jones rose to become one of the first Black lawyers in Arkansas.

• He gained national fame for his work on behalf of the Elaine Twelve, a group of Black men unjustly convicted in the aftermath of the 1919 Elaine Massacre. His appeals, ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Moore v. Dempsey (1923), led to their release and helped establish key precedents for due process rights.

• Jones served as an educator, judge, political activist, and Republican Party delegate. He was respected across racial lines and known for his ability to navigate both Black and white power structures during segregation.

• At the time of his death in 1943, the Arkansas Gazette described him as “one of Arkansas’ best-known Negroes.”

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Importance of the Home

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• The home represents the culmination of Jones’s legal and civic success, constructed during the peak of his influence.

• Among the most elegant homes built for a Black family in Little Rock during that era, it showcases high-quality materials and custom design.

• The residence remains a tangible symbol of Black perseverance, dignity, and professional excellence during a time of deep systemic oppression.

• It contributes to the broader story of the Dunbar Historic District, a center for African American leadership, education, and culture in Little Rock.