Carl E. Thornton
Carl E. Thornton was a 15-year-old Black boy held at the Arkansas Negro Boys Industrial School in Wrightsville, Pulaski County. He was one of 21 boys who died in a dormitory fire there on March 5, 1959. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas reports that the dormitory doors were locked from the outside, and officials have described the deaths as caused by the fire. In 2019 the Arkansas Department of Correction dedicated a memorial bearing each of the boys' names, and Carl is listed among those buried at Haven of Rest Cemetery in Little Rock.
Cause of death, as reported: Died in an accident (neglect alleged). Officials cited a fire as the cause, and reports say the dormitory doors were locked from the outside, leaving the boys trapped.
Reported by: officials; news reporting on the fire.