The Untold Story Of Negro Head Corner, Arkansas: The Free Black Man Who Carved Its Name

Few geographical names in the American South carry as much historical weight and controversy as "Negro Head Corner," an unincorporated community tucked away in Woodruff County, Arkansas. As of late 2024 and into 2025, the name remains officially on the map, a stark and curious anomaly in a time when most racially charged place names have been quietly or forcefully changed. The reason the name persists, however, is not a simple case of historical oversight, but a complex, nuanced story rooted in the legacy of a respected Black man who owned the land.

This deep dive into the history of the small crossroads community, located approximately four miles north of the town of Augusta, uncovers a narrative that subverts the typical understanding of a racist place name. The controversial designation is directly tied to a wooden sculpture—an oak carving of a Black man's head—created and displayed by the property owner himself, a former slave named Wade Antney. Understanding the current status of this name requires looking beyond the surface and into the unique history of the Antney family and the context of the post-Civil War South.

The Man Behind the Name: The True Story of Wade Antney

The origin of the name Negro Head Corner is unlike that of many other racially offensive geographical markers in the United States. It is not an artifact of a white landowner's mockery, but a complex legacy left by an African American who achieved freedom and land ownership in the Deep South.

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• Name Origin: The community is named for an oak wood sculpture of a Black man’s head that was prominently displayed at the corner of a farm near the main crossroads.
• The Sculptor and Landowner: The carving was created by Wade Antney, a Black man who had been enslaved on the land. After emancipation, Antney remained in the area, acquiring the land and becoming a well-respected farmer and landowner in Woodruff County.
• A Symbol of Authority: Antney’s decision to carve and display the head is interpreted by some historians as a powerful statement of ownership and presence. Some local accounts suggest the sculpture was viewed as a symbol of the "God of the Crossroads," a figure of folklore and spiritual significance, particularly in African American and Hoodoo traditions, which further complicates the narrative.
• A Former Slave's Legacy: Antney lived on the land for most of his life, well into his 90s, transitioning from an enslaved person to a free, property-owning patriarch. The sculpture, therefore, became an unofficial, yet powerful, landmark of his personal achievement and the presence of the Black community in the area.

The presence of a Black landowner like Antney in the post-Reconstruction era was a significant feat, especially in a state with a long history of racial discrimination and violence, including the presence of "Sundown Towns" and "Racial Cleansing" efforts in the Arkansas River Valley.

The Controversial Legacy: Is the Name Still Official in 2025?

The question of the name's official status and its future is what drives much of the curiosity surrounding Negro Head Corner. Despite widespread national efforts to change racially charged place names, the designation for this unincorporated community in Woodruff County, Arkansas, has proven remarkably resilient.

As of the current date in 2025, the name Negro Head Corner, Arkansas is still the official, recognized geographical designation for the community in federal and state records. There has been no successful, widely publicized, or officially enacted name change for this specific location in recent years (2023-2025).

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The Fate of the Sculpture and the Name Change Debate

The physical landmark that gave the community its name is no longer present. The eerie oak sculpture of the Black man's head that once stared out from a tree at the crossroads has vanished. Its removal likely occurred decades ago, though its exact final fate is a detail often lost to local history—whether it was destroyed, simply rotted away, or was moved to a private collection or museum is unknown.

The debate over the name is complex because of its unique origin:

• Argument for Change: Critics argue that regardless of its origin, the term "Negro Head" is an outdated, offensive, and racially insensitive term that should be removed from all official maps to align with modern standards of equality and respect. They point to other, similar names like "Nigger Head Road" that were successfully changed on maps.
• Argument for Preservation: Proponents of the name's retention argue that changing it would erase the unique and powerful history of Wade Antney, a former slave who became a landowner. For them, the name is a historical marker of Black resilience and property ownership in a hostile environment, and its removal would sanitize a difficult but important part of Woodruff County history.

More Than a Corner: Racially Charged Place Names in Arkansas

The controversy surrounding Negro Head Corner is not an isolated incident but part of a larger discussion about racially charged place names across the state of Arkansas and the nation. The state's geography is dotted with historical names that reflect its complex, often painful, racial past.

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While the origin of the Woodruff County location is unique, it shares a category with other historical names that have drawn scrutiny. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has been actively involved in changing thousands of offensive names nationwide, but local communities often retain the historical names for unincorporated areas or local landmarks.

Geographical Entities and Historical Context

The presence of such names highlights the deep-seated history of racial segregation and violence in Arkansas. Key entities and locations related to this history include:

• Negro Bend: A place name found in Drew County, Arkansas.
• Negro Bill Point: A geographical feature also located in Woodruff County, near the White River.
• Negro Branch: Streams found in counties like Howard and Yell.
• Augusta, McCrory, and Cotton Plant: The incorporated towns that surround the unincorporated community of Negro Head Corner, all part of the local Woodruff County governance structure.
• Mosaic Templars of America: A prominent Black fraternity and historical organization in Little Rock, whose museum stands as a monument to African American achievement in the state.
• US 117: A federal highway that was once locally referred to as "Negro Head Road," indicating the former prevalence of the term in the local vernacular.

The persistence of the name Negro Head Corner in 2025 serves as a powerful, uncomfortable reminder of the complexities of American history. It is a place name that simultaneously represents the indignity of a racially charged term and the remarkable, defiant achievement of Wade Antney, a Black man who claimed his place in the South.

Ultimately, the story of this small Arkansas community is a microcosm of the national debate: when does the need for historical preservation—especially a history of Black resilience—outweigh the necessity of removing an offensive term from the public sphere? For now, the name remains, a testament to a former slave's legacy and a continuing point of discussion for historians and citizens across the state.