African American Businessmen- Nathan Warren

Nathan Warren was born in 1812 in the District of Columbia. He was brought to Arkansas as the slave of Robert Crittenden, the first secretary of Arkansas Territory. After Crittenden’s death, Warren purchased his freedom. He later became a successful confectioner, catering many weddings and parties in Little Rock, and he owned a store on Main Street. As Arkansas made moves to banish free blacks from the state in the run up to the Civil War, Warren and his family left. He returned in 1863 and practiced various occupations from grocer to baker, before finally reopening a confectioner’s store. Warren died in 1888. An obelisk was placed to mark his grave at Mount Holly Cemetery. However, this was removed during the age of segregation, and today he lies in an unmarked grave. I’m John Kirk of the UALR History Department and this has been an Arkansas moment.