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opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY: 9th Week- 95th General Assembly
By Joy C. Springer
March 16, 2025
As the Arkansas House of Representatives entered the 9th week of the 2025 Regular Session, we once again ended the week with not so good news….
House Bill 1512 (HB1512)! Another bill designed, in my opinion, to separate the “haves” from the “have nots.” Two years ago, Arkansas Learns started this trend at the elementary and secondary levels of Arkansas’educational system and now we have Arkansas ACCESS for the state’s higher education levels. ACCESS, claiming to reform Arkansas' higher education system, the House once again overwhelmingly passed HB1512. For the record, I voted NO on HB 1512!
As a reminder, Arkansas ranks 38th in education, 37th in literacy, 41st in high school completion and 39th in college enrollment rates compared to states across the country. Yet, “the powers that be” have ignored our status by the introduction of new legislation that now attempts to censor student voices and eliminate every ounce of representation from our local communities and school districts.
HB1512 is allegedly designed to address critical issues surrounding access to education, affordability, and student success across the state, with its principles summarized in the acronym ACCESS: Acceleration, Common Sense, Cost, Eligibility, Scholarships, and Standardization as the core principles of the alleged higher education reform legislation. A summary of ACCESS as presented by its progenitors follows:
The Acceleration component of the ACCESS focuses on enhancing the readiness of high school students for higher education and future careers.
It aims to broaden accelerated coursework options in Arkansas high schools.
The Common-Sense provisions of the bill seek to foster unbiased learning environments in higher education. The bill also introduces the "Purple Star Campus" designation, recognizing institutions that support service members and military families.
Addressing Cost concerns, the ACCESS proposes reforming the funding model to encourage diverse educational pathways, including non-degree credentials. The bill introduces a new productivity-based funding model that factors in the return on investment for students.
The Eligibility section of the bill works toward creating uniformity and efficiency in college admissions. It expands the types of exams that can be used for college admissions. In terms of Scholarships, the ACCESS Act expands the Workforce Challenge Scholarship and increases the Arkansas Academic Challenge first-year award from $1,000 to $2,000.
However, in my opinion, ACCESS infringes upon students’ First Amendment Rights. It prohibits students from getting excused absences for advocating by appearing at the Legislature, protesting, or conducting walkouts. Students will be penalized for exercising their right to protest harmful bills such as ACCESS. In addition, college students could have
their degrees put on hold if they choose to speak out. Some amendments were made to this provision of the ACCESS; however, they were still met with much opposition, particularly from students, themselves. ACCESS jeopardizes equity programs for ALL students.
ACCESS prohibits nearly all DEI programs. A provision in the legislation that could potentially adversely impact student organizations, scholarships, and support centers for marginalized Arkansans including women, minority students and
international students.
ACCESS is gambling with our students' futures. Based upon the way that the legislation is written, schools would no longer be required to offer Advanced Placement classes—that help students get a head start on college material—most heavily impacting access to opportunity and mobility for our rural communities.
Finally, ACESS eliminates the seventeen member School Leadership Council that previously had representation from stakeholders across the state. ACCESS now proposed a five-member board that includes the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Commissioner of the Division of Higher Education, Commissioner of the Division of Career and Technical Education and finally the Chairmen of the House and Senate Education committees.
The Educational Emergency continues….
Rep. Joy C. Springer represents District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Mrs. Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equality in public education. She currently serves on the House Public Transportation and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Performance Review committee, and Joint Budget committee as a 1st alternate including Personnel and Special Language, and as a 2nd alternative on the Legislative Auditing committee.
opinions
LIFE DEVELOPMENT TIPS
by Dr. C.E. McAdoo
March 15, 2025
When I thought about Life Development Tips, I said to myself, it’s not that it bothers me. However, as I look at TV, most of the national shows will be on ABC, NBC, or CBS. They have these experts that are giving all these tips to people. They are telling them this and that, and I say to myself, “that’s what we do sitting around the table at my house or at the house of my friends.” I’m just reassuring you of something you may have already talked about within yourself, or I really believe this is something that your family has talked to you about, but I do want to talk about life’s development tips.
I guess I’m not a professional teacher, but I do like those teachers who go into the classroom, and if there is anything on the board, they wipe it all out, and they let us all start together, I know that’s “old school.” I know teachers today don’t use the board, but that’s what I grew up with. You get up there and the teacher might put an A and then put a dash in between to the Z, so we’re going go from A-to-Z. That’s what I feel our development tips are, but I’m not going to go from A to Z. I’m just going to touch on a few things.
The first one I want to talk about is the Tips for Talking, and for a person that is very outgoing, you might say what are the tips for talking? I would say the best tip is being a good listener. I’m going to say that again: “the best tip for talking is being a good listener.” I’ve been in those settings, and it has affected me personally where I’m in conversation with someone, and I’m thinking about what they are getting ready to say, rather than me listening to them! Not necessarily in my old age, but as I have tried to mature, I’ll say to myself, wait until they end their sentence, then if you want to say something, say something! That’s an expansive talking tip that not only helps in the house, because if me and my wife are talking about something, maybe a relative, it’s good to hear them out!
Often that enables us to talk better, because if we have a good understanding of what we have heard, it enables us to respond in a very positive way. So, a development tip I certainly want to pass on is a tip for talking and the best tip for talking is being a good listener!
There is no definite weight on any of these tips. The next tip I want to talk about is the Tip on Reassurance. I will put this in a personal mode. I know when my grandson passed and people would come up to me and ask how I was doing, we would normally always say, we’re doing fine. However, now I find that I’m tempted not to say that, because sometimes that’s not what people need.
They really don’t want us to ask them how they are doing. Even as I write this article, I don’t know what the best word is to use, but
I’m still dealing with my grandson’s death. The reassuring part is not always there for most folks, because everybody wants to say, “I’m fine and don’t want to get into a big scramble or see the same one. Once again, let me say one of the tips for reassurance is to know where people’s situation has been. You may not know where they are going, but if you kinda know where they have been, you’re able to talk in a general (not what’s the weather like), but you are able to talk in terms of letting them know you care about whatever they’re dealing with. Even though you can’t be close enough to know them, I now know enough to really be assuring in such a way that they feel you are being honorable and honest with them. The best way for me to reassure folks in a positive way is to do it through my inner actions and let them know that life goes on for both them and me.
The next tip I want to share is the Tip for Preparing. Many of you may or may not know I am an author, and the last book I wrote and had published was, Nobody Jumped Off the Boat, We are all in This Together.” The first chapter dealt with the art of preparing, you can go back and read the scriptures in Genesis about it, in other words, before they got on the boat they were preparing. We need to prepare ourselves for what is in front of us. As I write this article we are having a storm in Arkansas. You need to prepare yourself food-wise, warmth-wise, how to keep your water running and dealing with open spaces. So, that’s an important tip related to being prepared. There are a couple of sayings that help us remember the importance of preparing: “Proper preparation prevents poor performance,” also, Benjamin Franklin said: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
I have two more tips I want to give, and one of those is a Tip for Staying in Touch. One of the best things that came out of the pandemic for me and my family was, we established a “Sunday afternoon gathering time,” when the family got together, at 5:00PM, through a zoom call. Sometimes there may be 10 of us, other times five or only three. What the pandemic did was to let us know we can give to one another in all kinds of ways. I’m old-school when it comes to how to contact folks. I was blessed as a District Superintendent, I always sent out a lot of letters. I had an excellent Administrative Assistant, Yvonne Nipper, and she knew how many letters I sent out! That’s one way to keep up with folks, just send them something in the mail! There are also other ways to keep in touch such as email, texting is good and telephoning folks. I believe the two best ways of contacting others are by a phone call and by writing a personal letter.
The last tip is, How We Support Young Folks. One way that I feel we should do that is to just find a place in your community where there are some young people. It may be in your church or in your neighborhood. Going back to past experiences, I was blessed to be in the Neighbors Association, and I would always say to the leadership, let some young folks come in here and say some things. There’s a different mindset with people over 50 years old, maybe people even under 30, but one way to do that is to ask their opinion on different things.
One way to be reassuring to our young folks is to talk about money, many of them look at money differently than we do. When you see their priorities and see ours, sometimes they match up and sometimes they don’t. You talk to young people about spirituality, and there are a lot of young folks now that want to know that there is a place of comfort in your life. Not the comfort of just saying I believe in God and think Jesus is welcome with me daily, but they want to know if you have the blessed assurance that Jesus is mine! They will know if you don’t, and they will tell you about it!
I think that “Blessed Assurance” was sung at my mother’s funeral and at my Auntie’s funeral and my mother’s twin, and was sung at my daddy’s funeral and it will be sung at mine.
So, I just wanted to give those development tips as we move on through 2025, and I pray that as you go through these tips, they will be things that you have already latched on to, because they are things that your parents have already given you in advance. Let’s have a great year and take these tips I have given you and pass them on to someone else!
Love,
I Am
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church.
opinions
THE STATE OF THE UNION IN TWO OR THREE WORDS
by Wendell Griffen
March 8, 2025
Donald Trump's 100-minute-long State of the Union address will be remembered for many things.
It was the longest in recent history.
It was the first such address delivered by a twice impeached President.
It was the first SOTU address delivered by a convicted felon.
It was the first SOTU address delivered by someone who was found civilly liable for sexually assaulting another person.
It was the first SOTU address delivered by anyone who won election as President of the United States after having been previously fired from that position by U.S. voters.
Donald Trump's 2025 SOTU address was a stream of lies, insults, expressions of personal resentments, and malicious statements. If you watched it you were not made smarter, more hopeful, or more inclined to anything except what Trump wants.
Dismantle the federal government.
Fire as many federal workers as possible.
Deliver control of federal and funds to Elon Musk.
Cut taxes for wealthy people.
Shut down the Medicare, Veterans Administration, Social Security, and other social services systems needed by millions of families.
Break security alliances with NATO allies.
Turn the United States into his kingdom.
Make people like you and me his subjects.
Operate the federal government like a private commercial enterprise that enriches his wealthy sycophants. Everyone else is expendable.
Convert the United States from Vladimir Putin's most formidable obstacle into Putin’s biggest ally.
In short, the State of the Union is not defined by the opening words to the Preamble of the Constitution – “We, the People…”
It is reduced to the vicious idiotic sociopathy of one person. Donald Trump.
Congress has not empowered Elon Musk. Donald Trump did so.
The Senate has not confirmed Musk. Trump has made him a de-facto Prime Minister.
Congress has not created a “Department of Government Efficiency.” Trump embraced Musk’s brainchild.
Expect no help from Congress. Trump controls Speaker Mike Johnson (R. LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R. SD). Musk controls Johnson and Thune because he will use his extraordinary wealth to reward politicians who obey Trump and oppose politicians and candidates who disagree with Trump.
Expect no help from the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts and five other right-wing justices (three appointed by Trump during his previous tenure) engaged in the ultimate display of judicial activism last July when they manufactured a doctrine of absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for Trump and any other U.S. president in Donald Trump v. United States.
Now, “We, the People” are Trump’s hostages.
The current State of the Union boils down to two words.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States who is also Predator in Chief.
Our future depends on whether “We, the People” summon the political, moral, and ethical courage to defy and, ultimately, depose Trump. Doing that will not be easy.
That task, however, difficult, is the only thing that will save democracy. Whether it happens depends on three words.
We, the People, will decide the future of democracy, justice, and peace in the United States - and the rest of the world.
www.fierceprophetichope.blogspot.com
www.wendellgriffen.blogspot.com
Pastor, New Millennium Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
pastorgriffen@newmillenniumchurch.us
CEO, Griffen Strategic Consulting, PLLC
www.griffenstrategicconsulting.com
griffenstrategicconsulting@gmail.com
Co-Chair, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
Hope fiercely. Love boldly.
Love one another. Jesus of Galilee, Palestine
We will find a way or make one. Hannibal of Carthage
Writing is how I fight. James H. Cone.
The time for pious words is over. Allan Aubrey Boesak
Justice is a verb!
https://fierceprohetichope.blogspot.com/2024/01/this-is-why-donald-trump-is-barred-from.html
opinions
Stay Woke and Stay Black!
by Deborah Suttlar
March 8, 2025
The Republican led strategy to propagandized Woke, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has resulted in this current Trump Administration operating as a Criminal Enterprise to enact genocide and segregation. We must recognize this strategy for being exactly what it is. This effort is not just about control and greed, it is the denial of the “truth” about who they are, what they did and what they continue to do. We must remember that an uneducated population is easy to control. Which is why I am saying, Stay Woke and Stay Black.
We must “Stay Woke” This means that we must continue to recognize and be aware of the efforts to divide our country based on race, cultures, and class. The strategy is to make us unwilling to recognize the very truths of our own existence, their racism against us and be afraid to confront them about it. This has more reach than just race. it is also a” class” strategy to enable the rich to remain in power and in control. The long-term goal is to prevent those of us who will be the majority in the next 5- 10 years, from having any influence or power over our own lives. It will become American Apartheid.
We must “Stay Black.” Black is not just a color; it is the essence of who we are a people of African descent. A People who survived the atrocities of a slave society/country. A country which continues to utilize slave master mentality on us and by some of us. Therefore, if we know who we are, then we will not ignore the history of racism that repeats itself each time that we progress. Each time there is progress, there is a backlash against our very existence. We can never forget the “Red Summer.” The atrocities of Elaine, Arkansas and the race riot which ensued and in which our Black community was never vindicated or recovered.
Today, we are called to boycott one company which announced it would not implement diversity, equity, and inclusion. Target was one of the last companies that the Black community believed supported them. Therefore, when Target announced it would not continue DEI, Black people felt betrayed. Target is not the only one. Did Target create this anti-DEI or anti-Woke? No, Target is just the stem, it is not the root of this racism and path to segregation. My question, who should we be fighting right now?
In my opinion. As a person who has been boycotting Walmart for years, I believe we have always financed our demise by patronizing businesses that finance people who work/vote against our interest. The Target boycott is not the solution, it’s a drop in the pan. Many other companies have done much worse to accelerate these present laws that are being enacted to derail our civil rights and human rights.
We have a bigger problem than Target. We are in a Civil War that has been directed toward us, and we don’t even recognize that this is “war.”
A march which will be held on Sunday, March 9, 2025, from the Broadway Bridge in North Little to the City Hall of Little Rock, Arkansas to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. This march was the day in which peaceful protestors for voting rights were assaulted and 13 people were murdered. The year was 1965 and today, 60 years later, we continue to be haunted by violations and oppressive laws against the right to vote. We must remember that the right to vote is extremely important. The vote determines everything regarding our lives and how we exist in society. If you do not vote, you allow others to make decisions about your life in which you have no control. We now see how not voting and who you vote for affects our lives, and to our own peril.
Let us remember, they have no right to tell our stories and no right to keep our stories from being told. We must “stay woke” and “stay Black.” We must “keep going.”
Colossians 3:23 Our choices and efforts should ultimately be for God’s approval, not for human recognition.
Congressman John Lewis, “Your vote is precious, almost sacred.”
Harriet Tubman, “If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going, If you want a taste of freedom, Keep going.
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a community activist and longtime supporter of public schools.
opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY: 8th Week- 95th General Assembly
by Joy C. Springer
March 8, 2025
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY: 8th Week- 95thGeneral Assembly
As the Arkansas House of Representatives entered the 8th week of the 2025 Regular Session, the House approved overwhelmingly by a vote of 96-0 to increase the Homestead Property Tax Credit. HB1534 increases the credit from $500 to $600 effective January 1, 2025. In the year 2000, the citizens of Arkansas voted overwhelmingly to create the Homestead Tax Credit. The March 3rdvote in the House was the second time in 2 years the House voted to increase this tax credit. HB1534 now goes to the Senate for a final vote. In June of 2024, the General Assembly increased the credit from $425 to $500. The legislature subsequently created the Property Tax Relief Fund which funds the credit. The increase passed this week is the largest increase in the history of the Homestead tax credit. Since the credit is funded by the Property Tax Relief Fund, there is no impact to the state’s general revenue. You have now heard about the “good news” for the week. I say “good news” because it positively affects the majority residents of Arkansas who pay state taxes.
Now for the not so good news, in my opinion…HB1489! ☹ According to Pew Research Center, most Americans, approximately 78%, favor the death penalty even though they have concerns about its administration. The concerns include whether innocent persons are put to death! HB 1489 proposes the use of nitrogen gas as a constitutional method to carry out the death penalty. Personally, I do not favor the death penalty and prepared an essay many years ago while in college regarding why I believed that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment. During the committee hearing on the bill, I commented that the absence of the Secretary of the Department of Corrections [spoke] volumes. It is obvious to me this method of execution will be before the Supreme Court in due time. Based upon my research, here are my findings according to the United States Supreme Court:
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty is not inherently
cruel and unusual, but its application can be. The Eighth Amendment
prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, but the Supreme Court has
interpreted this in light of evolving standards of decency.
· The Supreme Court has identified circumstances where the death
penalty violates the Eighth Amendment, including when it is mandatory
or disproportionate.
· The Supreme Court has also ruled that the death penalty is
unconstitutional for certain groups, such as juveniles and people
with mental disabilities.
· The Eighth Amendment also shapes the procedures for using the death penalty, including how it is carried out and when a jury can
use it.
· The Supreme Court has also ruled that laws that make the death penalty mandatory without discretion are cruel and unusual.
· Finally, the Supreme Court has also considered factors such as fairness, proportionality, and consistency.
When HB 1489 came to the House Floor for a vote, in my opinion, the Speaker did not utilize the same cadence in calling for members to speak for or against the Bill. In my opinion, he did not utilize his regular and repeated pattern of calling for those who wished to speak for … pausing to give time … and then calling for those who wished to speak against... pausing to give time. Only one representative was allowed to speak against the bill because of his religious beliefs. The final vote in the House was:
67 Yeas, 23 Nays, 8 Present and 2 Not Voting.
The other bill that passed in the House that in my opinion will have an impact of our children was HB1370. HB 1370 will require school districts to make up the first seven missed school days with in-person instruction.
If more than seven days are missed, the bill allows school districts to use alternative instruction methods for up to three additional days to meet the required number of instructional days. There were mixed opinions from the educators serving in the House.
Educational Emergency continues…
State Representative Joy C. Springer represents District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY: 7th Week- 95thGeneral Assembly
By Joy C. Springer
March 1, 2025
As the Arkansas House of Representatives entered the 7th week of the 2025 Regular Session, the House approved HCR1006, extending the session until April 16, with adjournment Sine Die on May 5.
The House passed three bills this week focusing on initiatives and referendum petitions. SB207 requires canvassers to inform potential petitioners that petition fraud is a class A misdemeanor. SB208 requires canvassers to verify petitioners'
photo IDs before collecting signatures, while SB211 mandates canvassers to submit an affidavit confirming their adherence to Arkansas laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, and election fraud.
Yes, both measures are obvious attempts to suppress the voices of all Arkansas from participating in democratic process
in Arkansas. However, I will share this personal knowledge with you. There was no evidence presented, to my knowledge, that canvassers in Pulaski County had not properly collected signatures. In my opinion, this legislation stems from
hearings before the Joint Performance Review Committee this past year where canvassers who came from outside of Saline County to collect signatures. These canvassers had secured petitions with a substantial number of errors.
The House also passed two bills this week addressing human trafficking. House Bill (HB) 1474 mandates the display of information about the National Human Trafficking Hotline at nail salons, massage businesses, and any privately owned facilities offering food, fuel, shower, or sanitary services, as well as overnight parking, within 1,320 feet of an interstate. HB1440 requires massage therapy establishments to list all therapists working there with the Arkansas Department of Health. Education legislation was also addressed with the passage of SB206 and HB1117.
What about the status of our Educational Emergency? Thank you for asking! There were two bills, Senate Bill (SB) 206 and House Bill (HB) 1117 regarding Education that were passed in the House. SB206 increases the maximum amount for literacy tutoring grants from $500 to $1,500, provided funding is available. HB1117 states that all public-school districts and open-enrollment charter schools must provide students with age-appropriate and grade-appropriate firearm safety instruction. Information regarding
total amount of additional funding available to students has not been specifically shared.
I do recommend that those of you reading this article and know of students who may benefit from literacy tutoring, please have them contact teachers in their schools to secure more information. This service was made available to students after the passage of LEARNS. This legislation increases the amount of funding that they may receive for the services. Need I remind you; the most recent results reflect that less than 50% of ALL students in Arkansas are reading on grade level by the time they reach 3rd grade.
Educational Emergency continues…
State Representative Joy C. Springer represents District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
opinions
The Continuing Legacy
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
March 1, 2025
Hello once again! Even though this is the last week of the month of February, it’s not the last week of Black History, or its origin. I have talked about the importance of Black History throughout this month and how it might cause us and the broader community to know more about one another.
This week I wish to lift up black personalities known and not so well known in the state of Arkansas. A further general mind-set for us all, is the African-American Regency of the Africans who now claim America as our home. John Hope Franklin, an American History scholar, wrote a book entitled, “From Slavery to Freedom”. I used that book as an Adjunct Professor at Philander Smith University. However, I only used it after the first month of class. You may ask why I used it for only one month of class. The reason I did not use his book was for me, the name of the book was not a name I would use for African Americans today.
I did continue to use the book, but I renamed it within the class and called it: “From Kings and Queens to Freedom.” It may be subtle, but when you start in slavery, I feel as an African American, you put yourself in a negative position, of which you really start in the hole and have to dig out!
The context for me, is that the Africans brought to American as slaves, were not all slaves, and did not have the slave mentality. The internet notes that between 12 and 15 million men, women and children were captured, put on slave ships, and brought to American. Further research records that at least two million died during the infamous “Mid-Passage” on top of that, scholars believe that 10 to 15% died during their march to confinement. For your own internet surfing, you may want to check out some queens and kings that were in Africa at the time of the slavery. Queen Amina, the Warrior Queen, King Ezana, the Christian King. Then, Queen Jaaasantezuaa, Queen Mother of the Ashani in Ghana, and King Obaewarehe, was “Ewware the great “in the Benin Emphire of Nigeria. These I have lifted up may or may not have been captured, but many others unnamed, I am sure were captured and brought to America.
Now I wish to list Arkansas African-Americans, as you read each name take a moment to pause as you consider person were related to us and may have been some of the Kings and Queens of our family.
ARKANSAS AFRICAN-AMERICANS
A
.J. Parish- a pastor, mortician, and Fort Smith resident became the first African-American coroner in Arkansas in 1989
Alonzo Clayton- African American jockey of North Little Rock, Kentucky Derby winner.
Annie Abrams- devoted grandmother, long-time social activist and strong proponent of participatory democracy.
Annie Mae Bankhead- dedicated civic leader who founded College station Community Center, 1971; Bankhead drive is named in her honor.
Bob Nash- Texarkana native, Director of presidential personnel during the Clinton administration a UAPB graduate
Carl Redus- sworn in as the first African American mayor of Pine Bluff in January 2005.
Charles Bussey- became Little Rock’s first African American Mayor, serving from November 1981 through December 1982
Charlotte Stephens- born into slavery in 1854 and later became the first African American teacher in Little Rock.
Curtis Sykes- first African American to receive a degree from Harding University. He was instrumental in establishing the Arkansas Black History Commission.
Donita Ruth McGraw- first African-American queen at Little Rock Central high school in 1974
Dr. Patricia Washington McGraw- first African-American professor at Little Rock University, now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1969
Dr. Ruth Polk Patterson- author of “The Seeds of Sally Good’n: A Black Family of Arkansas, first African-American to teach Black literature in public schools of Little Rock.
Dr. Samuel Kountz- born in 1930 a native of Lexa in Phillips County, was the first African American transplant surgeon.
Dr. Walter Kimbrough- hip-hop president, youngest president of a college or university in Arkansas
Edith Irby Jones- first African American admitted to UAMS in 1948.
Eldridge Cleaver- famous member of Black Panther Party, wrote “Soul on Ice,” was born in Wabbaseka, Arkansas in 1935.
Eliza Ashley- Cooked at the Governor’s mansion in Little Rock for over 25 years.
Ernest Joshua, Sr.- founder and CEO of JM Products, Inc honored at the White
house for his achievements by President Ronald Reagan
Haki Madhubuti- famous African-American author born in Little Rock and originally named Don L. Lee.
Hoxie 21- in 1955 became the first school system to attempt to desegregate.
Irma Hunter Brown- became the first African American woman elected to Arkansas House of Representatives and State Senate.
J.A. Blount, Sr.- St. Francis County, first Black candidate to run in a state gubernatorial election; his bid was unsuccessful.
James Leary III- famous bass player for the Count Basie Orchestra now who has played with Sammy Davis, Jr, Earl “Fatha” Hines, and others, born in Little Rock.
James Monroe Cox- former President of Philander Smith College
John H. Johnson- born in Arkansas City, started his business with a $500.00 loan from his mother. Company publishes Ebony & jet Magazines.
Joyce Elliot- became 2nd African American woman to the State Senate and the first woman selected as Majority leader.
L.C. Bates- a tireless civil rights advocate and long-time supporter of the NAACP, published the Arkansas State Press, a black newspaper, 1941-1973.
Lena Jordan- Afrikan American nurse who founded a hospital for blacks in Little Rock in 1929
Lencola Sullivan- first African-American to be crowned Miss Arkansas in 1980
Little Rock Nine-nine African American students who were prevented from attending the all-white Central High School in 1957.
Louis Jordan- born in Brinkley, Arkansas ; the King of the Jukebox ; pioneering jazz, blues and boogie-woogie musician and songwriter.
Maya Angelou- spent her early childhood in Stamps, Arkansas-author of “I Know why the Caged Bird Sings,” “Singin’ and Swingin” and “Making Merry Like Christmas.”
Mifflin Gibbs- a staunch Republican leader; elected the first Black municipal judge in American history in Little Rock in 1873.
Mildred Smith- founder of the first Black History Museum in Arkansas
Milton Crenshaw-first African-American trained as a licensed pilot and trained hundreds of cadets at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
Neal Brown- first Black man elected to the Arkansas Legislature.
Rev. Joseph Booker- born in Portland, Arkansas-former president of Arkansas Baptist College
Ronnie Nichols- founder of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Arkansas
Scott Joplin- born in Texarkana, was a ragtime composer and musician. Earned the title “King of Ragtime.”
Scottie Pippen-native of Hamburg, won six NBA World Championships with the Chicago Bulls
Sidney Moncrief-played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks, professional ball for the Milwaukee Bucks, and named an NBA Allstar five times.
Silas Hunt- known as “The Father of Higher education”, first African-American to enter the Univ. of Arkansas Law school at Fayetteville.
Stacy Hawkins Adams- born in Pine Bluff, author of “Speak to My Heart,” and Nothing but The Right Thing
Tabbs Gross- attorney and publisher; “The Freeman,” in LR; Arkansas’s first Black owned and operated newspaper.
ADDITIONAL LIST OF GREAT BLACK AFRICAN-AMERICANS
· Al Green,born on April 13, 1948, in Forrest City, Arkansas, is known as one of the great rhythm and blues singers of the 1970s.
· Bobby Mitchell – Former professional football player and civil rights activist, known for his time with the Washington Football Team.
· Daisy Bates- Known as the "Mother of Desegregation" at Little Rock Central High School, Daisy Bates was a national civil rights advocate and a pivotal figure in the fight to end school segregation worldwide.
· Debbie Turner – A respected activist and community leader advocating for social justice and education.
· Eliza Ann Ross Miller – was an African American businesswoman and educator, as well as the first woman to build and operate a movie theater in Arkansas.
· Ernest Joshua Sr. – Community activist and philanthropist, known for his contributions to education and social justice.
· Haki Madhubuti – Renowned poet, educator, and publisher, a key figure in the Black Arts Movement.
· Lenny Williams- Renowned R&B singer, best known for his solo work and as the lead vocalist of ‘Tower of Power.’
· Missouri (Big Mo) Arledge – Famous for his contribution to African American culture, particularly in sports and community development.
· Nathaniel Clifton – One of the first African Americans to play in the NBA, breaking barriers in professional basketball.
· Patricia Washington McGraw-In 2004, she was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. A longtime member of the National Association of Black Storytellers,
· Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson - nicknamed "Man of Steal", was an American professional baseball left fielder who played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. He is widely regarded as baseball's greatest …
· Rosetta Tharpe – Pioneering gospel singer and guitarist, often regarded as one of the godmothers of rock and roll.
· Scipio Jones – Prominent lawyer and civil rights advocate who helped secure the release of African-American men wrongly convicted in 1919.
· Scott Joplin- King of Ragtime
· The Mosaic Templars of America (MTA), an African American, Mosaic Templars' National Grand Temple in downtown Little Rock.
· Willie Roaf – Pro Football Hall of Famer, known as one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history.
Love,
I Am
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church.
opinions
The inhumanity of it all
by Wendell Griffen
February 22, 2025
I am writing to report an incident that four SDPC attendees witnessed last night and notified me about shortly after the invocation was delivered during the BATF gala.
Four SDPC attendees (Jordan Griffin, Laphon Flood-Francis, Donavan Pinner, and Royal S. Tull) were in the lobby of the Marriott and saw an unarmed Black woman be arrested, handcuffed by Little Rock Police Officers, and removed by the officers. Why? Because a Marriott security employee called the police. When the SDPC attendees asked for an explanation, they were told that the woman was unhoused and asking for money.
The attendees asked the Marriott security officer to not have the woman arrested, and offered to pay for a room for the woman for one night so that she would be out of the cold. Their offer was refused. The Marriott security employee told them, and later repeated to me, that Marriott had banned the woman from its premises because she asked people for money.
Freddy Haynes and I were sitting at the same table when the SDPC attendees (three M.Div. graduates of Princeton and a Ph.D candidate attending Vanderbilt Divinity School) told me what they witnessed. Freddy and I left our table and walked with them to the front desk of the Marriott, accompanied by Roger Robinson (a local photographer engaged for our Conference who has served New Millennium Church and my family).
At the front desk I asked to speak with the security officer on duty. He was summoned. I introduced myself, explained that the SDPC attendees had witnessed the woman being arrested for criminal trespassing, handcuffed, and removed by Little Rock Police to a lock-up facility, and asked that Marriott drop the criminal trespassing charge given that the woman was not committing a crime by asking for money and doing so inside the Marriott lobby to get out of the cold.
When the Marriott security officer responded that he lacked authority to have the charge dismissed so the woman could be released from jail, I asked to speak with the head of security, and waited until he returned. However, he did not return with the head of security, but with the manager on duty. I explained the reason for my presence to her and requested that Marriott have the charge dismissed. I had, in the meantime, phoned Mayor Frank Scott Jr's to ask for his help. Mayor Scott received my call while he was at a shelter for unhoused persons, and assured me that he would contact the LRPD and get the woman taken to a shelter rather than be jailed.
The manager on duty and I spoke in the lobby near the front desk. Our conversation was observed and overheard by Dr. Haynes, Damien Durr (who joined us after learning of the situation as we neared the front desk), the four SDPC attendees, and Roger Robinson. I asked that Marriott drop the criminal trespassing charge against the woman. The MOD said she wasn't authorized to do so, so I gave her my card, asked her to have the chief of security contact me, and we returned to the gala. Tyronne Pitts was delivering his acceptance remarks when I returned to the gala.
When I did not receive a phone call or text from Marriott personnel after more than half an hour I remarked to Dr. Haynes that I had not done so, and returned to the front desk alone for a status report. I spoke to a staff member who acknowledged that she was aware of my previous visit and conversation with the MOD. However, she refused to summon the MOD to speak with me and told me that the MOD was no longer available when I asked for her contact number to contact her.
I returned to the gala, observed the presentations and remarks by Ambassador Battles, Dr. Stewart, and Dr. Harris, and left the gala following the closing photographs to reach out again to Mayor Scott for help getting the charges released. This time I went to the M-Club room on the first floor where I updated the attendees, Rev. Durr, Rev. Ayres, and Rev. Marcus Tabb.
While we were talking, Mayor Scott phoned and reported that the woman (whose name he did not know but agreed to determine) had been taken to a shelter. I asked Mayor Scott to contact the LR Marriott and ask that the criminal trespass charge be dropped, assured him that I would not take no further action if the charge was dropped, but told him unless the charge was dropped I would notify Proctor leaders, attendees, and the public about the inhumanity of arresting and charging an unhoused woman with criminal trespass because she asked strangers for money in the hotel lobby while trying to escape the bitter cold.
Mayor Scott told me that he would have Gina Gemberling (CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau) contact Marriott. He later called (at 11:15 PM), told me that Gemberling was trying to reach David Laing (Marriott's security director), but that Laing was traveling and did not answer his call. When Mayor Scott asked that I give him until noon to contact Laing about the issue before speaking publicly, I would not agree to wait until noon. However, I told Mayor Scott that I would mention his intervention to get the woman taken to a shelter rather than kept in jail, and Gemberling's attempt to contact Laing and get the charge dismissed. Mayor Scott then said he would work to get Marriott to dismiss the criminal trespassing charge before the Conference final session commences at 9 AM, and that he would notify me accordingly. As of the time of this email message I have not received a call from Mayor Scott nor been contacted by hotel personnel that the criminal trespassing charge has been dismissed.
I suspect that Marriott does not intend to dismiss the criminal trespassing charge. Mayor Scott, the MOD, and the security employee told me that Marriott has ordered the woman to remain off the premises a number of times in the past. I do not question their freedom to order the woman off hotel premises. But handcuffing a defenseless unhoused woman in the hotel lobby and pressing charges against her for criminal trespassing because she enters the hotel lobby on the coldest night thus far in February (12 degrees and falling) violates her right to seek assistance, and demonstrates callous disregard for her humanity and safety.
Incidentally, the woman is Black. The SDPC attendees who witnessed her mistreatment are Black.
The security employee who refused to allow SDPC attendees to rent a room for her is Black.
The MOD who refused to contact me after I asked that she contact the Marriott security director and have the criminal trespassing charge dropped is Black.
Mayor Scott is Black.
Fortunately, Jordan Griffin, Laphon Flood-Francis, Donovan Pinner, and Royal S. Tull recognized that this was a Jericho Road/Good Samaritan situation. They refused to ignore what they saw. They tried to intervene to prevent the woman from being victimized because of her plight. I am glad they shared what they witnessed with Dr Haynes, Rev. Durr, Rev. Ayres, Rev. Tabb, and me.
I ask that we share what happened with the Proctor Family at the outset of the morning session, denounce Marriott's inhumane response to her dilemma, and call on Marriott to drop the criminal trespassing charge against her.
Wendell Griffen is the author of Parables, Politics, and Prophetic Faith published by (Nurturing Faith, (2023) and
The Fierce Urgency of Prophetic Hope (Judson Press, (2017). He is also an ordained minister and former elected judge.
www.fierceprophetichope.blogspot.com
www.wendellgriffen.blogspot.com
Pastor, New Millennium Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
pastorgriffen@newmillenniumchurch.us
CEO, Griffen Strategic Consulting, PLLC
www.griffenstrategicconsulting.com
griffenstrategicconsulting@gmail.com
Co-Chair, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
opinions
THE BLACK COMMUNITY - ? ??
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 22, 2025
Greetings to every one again! I hope this 3rd article of the month ties together the first two articles and is a stepping off place, into the last article which is very extensive. In these articles, we have been dealing with Black history, African American History, our context, and concepts of living in this community with all that we have gone through, and all we are dealing with now.
This week’s article is entitled, “The Black Community -???.” A good Blues singer of mine named Solomon Burke, in one of his songs he says “sometimes we get what we want and lose what we have. Let me say that again, sometimes we get what we want and lose what we have.” We as African Americans have our communities, sometimes they are very larges and spread out and sometimes they are very narrow. Many times, they were “across the railroad tracks,” even in some of the larger cities they had African Americans in certain places. A friend of mine from New York talked to me about the whole concept of the word ‘Ghetto,’ and how that came about and how they put African Americans in certain parts of town. I don’t want us to forget that sometimes we get what we want and lose what we have.
I remember going to Boston where my Sister-in-law owned a store in the midst of an African American Black community and did very, very well, because that is where we traded with one another. We also had that in my hometown. My uncle Oliver had a store on the street I lived on, Bluebird Road. I don’t know if we had many white residents there. I think I mentioned the story once before, if I did, I will mention it again.
I had a friend, a little white boy, we played and had lots of fun, then one day he told me they were going to have to move; I asked him why and he said his daddy told him that integration has come now and we should not be living out here with black people. So, I said, if you got to go, you just got to go.
We had distinct communities, some of those were designated by us and some were not. In Little Rock in particular, in Granite Mountain, when renewals came in, it put African Americans in certain parts of the city. There is a whole study on that, that deals with how Urban Renewal came in and displaced African-American communities to other parts of town, and it did restrict whites from living in those areas but you could go into those areas and there was 90% of African-Americans living in those communities so that tells you something.
I want to lift up five things on the black Community with all those question marks. I want to lift up location, common interest, social gathering, lifting up one another, and the coloring mesh:
LOCATION - most of the African American communities were on the east side of town. For some reasons, the west part of town was designated for non-African Americans. I lived on the east side of town myself, and we lived in a very close-knit community. My Aunt and grandmother lived next door to me, and I grew up with my first cousins. The other thing about my growing up was, every one up and down the street knew who you were. There was a certain closeness and close-knit-ness in the community. We were not Monolith, I was ME Methodist, that’s a another technial piece, not United Methodist, but ME Methodist. Just to make a quick commentary the ME Methodist, were those who were affiliated with the Northern Church, rather than the Southern Methodist. Some of the friends were Church of Christ, some were Baptist and that’s mostly what we had in the community I grew up in. There was also a Presbyterian Missionary that came, so we had a few Presbyterians. In the early 60’s where I grew up, the Church of God in Christ was not that big and I say that because today, the Church of God in Christ, is the largest African American Denomination, even over the Baptist. We also had some places called Non-Denominational Churches or Spiritual Churches.
We had one called Mother Stanford, and I never shall forget going over there. I‘ll tell a quick story, they always made sure they had their money a certain way, and this is the story daddy told. They were taking up the offering, and they would say, “we need $20.00,” and they would take up about $19.00, and then they would state how much extra they still needed to balance it all out. This would continue until the amount what they needed got way up there. Finally, daddy asked, how much more do you need, to even this out, you just keep asking for more! That was the Pentecostal Church.
Let me go on about Location for a moment. If anyone was coming to town, they would know they could look for African Americans in a certain part of a community, and usually that was the east side of town. On that east side of town, not only were we a close-knit community, but that’s where you had other kinds of things that went on.
For example, my mother was part of the “Bluebird Road Garden Club” and all those ladies worked together it was a nice situation.
COMMON INTEREST - one of the things that was my daddy’s thrust, and was an interest to me was education. I’m a child of the 60’s born in 1948, a Baby-Boomer, and if the Lord blesses me, I’m going to be 77 years-old in a few weeks. Education was a big common interest because you wanted everyone to get an education. Growing up in middle Tennessee there were a lot of good factory jobs in my home town, and in Nashville. If you had a high school education, you made an awful good salary back in those days. A
lot of people, even to this day, when you look at some of the industrial pieces going on, you see middle Tennessee had some good jobs. I even remember, myself personally, when my sister worked for Dupont, and I had quit my job at the Post Office and was working in the local churches, and she was making $18.00 an hour way back then!
Education enabled you to get upward mobility to go to college. The blessing of where I grew up in Lebanon, Tennessee, was Nashville was called the Athens of the South, and what does that mean? At that time, I believe there were about 15 schools of higher education around Nashville. Not only that, but three of those schools were HBCU’s (Historical Black Colleges & Universities), and one of those was Meharry Medical College. At one time in America, ninety-nine percent of all black doctors attended only two medical schools in the nation, Howard University and Meharry Medical College.
I am proud to say Meharry was affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and due to legal requirements, it is no longer affiliated, along with many others such as Syracuse University. At present, there is controversy over Southern Methodist as to who owns it. Meharry not only graduated medical doctors, but also dentist. I found out years later, a friend of mine who was a dental student there would come to my hometown to find people to work with. So, education was a big part of our common interest.
The second part of our common interest was home skills. In other words, if you grew up in the black community, you learned how to clean and how to cook. During that time, when the young men from the north came, they wanted to get a girl from the south because the southern girls knew how to cook! My sister was a pretty good cook, she really loved her fried chicken and could do it well and my mama could cook. The other part of living in the community was you had your specialty. My mother’s specialty was her Prune cake. That’s a long story, but the people who bought them from her just loved them. Some people made chess pies others made a certain kind of cake. So, that was another part of the community, you had your cooking skills, cleaning and washing and ironing skills. This sounds kind of common, but a lot of folks don’t know how to iron a shirt. So, we have location, common interest,and Social Gatherings.
SOCIAL GATHERINGS - In the African American community where I grew up, on the East side, we had a night club. People came from all over to go to that night club, the 101 Wagon Wheel. In the community, we also had events where Dad would hang up lights, people would heat up the oil and cook fish, Uncle Hubbard would play the guitar, and people all up and down the street would come. This was a great gathering that people in the community knew about and would come to. We also knew where in the community the bootleggers were, and we got people to buy from them, for us. So, we had social gatherings. There weren’t many churches on our street. There were some in other communities, but not many in ours. So, have location, common interest, social gathering, and the fourth thing is lifting up one another.
LIFTING UP ONE ANOTHER - I was so glad to be in a community where people thought enough of you to try to encourage you. I have been encouraged by others my whole life. I’ve had people that told me how happy they were when I went off to college. They said they hoped their sons would do like I did and leave home and make it. Some people went off to Tennessee A & I, what we call now Tennessee State University. Another bit of history, many of the African American schools at that time were designated. By that, I mean Tennessee A & I was Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial. Arkansas had AM&N, Arkansas Mechanical and Normal. There was North Carolina A & T, Agriculture and Technology and Florida A&M, Agricultural and Mechanical. So, when people got to Tennessee State, we lifted them up. We were very proud of them.
COLORING MESH - The last thing I want to talk about is the coloring mesh. In our communities now you don’t have the designated community that we used to have, but there has been an influx of black men together with white women and black women together white men. We have a ‘coloring mesh.’ I’m putting that in perspective to say that when you go out now, you have all colors of the rainbow together, and I think that is good. I think it lifts all of us up to know Genesis 1:27: we are all made in the image of God. And I won’t talk much about the mesh because it is going to be here with us, and we are also born in the image of God. When we think about the black community with the question marks, you put your answer to them. I just started some dialogue that will hopefully make you think about what you have gone through. Maybe you’ll talk to your parents about it and your uncles and aunts. Talk to someone and ask about what we have been. As the blues singer said, sometimes we get what we want, but we lose what we have.”
Love,
I Am
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church
opinions
America Embraces the Dark Side
by Deborah Springer Suttlar
February 22,, 2025
Black History month was designed to recognize the contributions of African Americans and highlight our historical achievements due to the lack of inclusiveness in American History books. At this time, it is not only our history being excluded, but so are the people of African descent.
Since the rise of Donald Trump, he and his followers have embraced ideology of Imperialism, Anti-affirmative Action, Separatism and Colonialism. This country is being culturally divided, and separatism is the reality of the day.
The current social climate has been overtaken by racism, discrimination, exclusion, hate and ungodliness. There is a “spirit of darkness” which has infiltrated human minds and has rendered Americans unable to decipher right from wrong. Our society has become prone to favoring wealth instead of the humane treatment of people. An attitude of bigotry, hate, and greed is being cultivated among us.
While it is expressed “we are Christians,” there is little proof of it. The words and actions exhibited toward those of us who are of a darker hue, or those seeking opportunity in our land are being treated with disdain. America was once viewed as a beacon of hope and a symbol of democracy, but it is no longer. This current administration has tarnished that opinion. We now reflect conceit, isolationism, and bigotry.
America is no longer the example of that “wonderful melting pot” of democracy which made us a beacon of hope for humankind. Instead, many celebrate a racist ideology which not only heightens fears but isolates us from the “Word” of a loving, caring and inclusive God. Our God who created Diversity, the God who commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves is being ignored. There is an African Proverb, which states, “In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges and the foolish build dams.” The fools are building more dams.
We have just witnessed the audacity of elected officials such as Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Congressman French Hill addressing Arkansas Historically Black College and University officials. Their records reflect that they both support anti-affirmative action and Trump’s Executive Order in which he terminated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in federal contracting, the federal workforce and spending. They come before us playing the game of inclusion and acceptance when they are not, and their actions prove it. Sarah will return to the Capitol, espouse hate, and sign hateful legislation. French Hill will vote and promote laws against our interest. Sarah, where is the money owed to Arkansas HBCU’s? Give us the money due to our HBCU’s! This governor oppresses the poor and gives bonuses to her personal staff. This is ungodly and so is she.
Sarah Huckabee is a devout racist who is following Donald Trump. She emulates in his quest to impose genocidal laws and policies to render Black and Brown people powerless in a country we helped to build. French Hill is the same kind of racist, and his voting record proves it. It was the result of legislation that we forced the Constitution to be applicable to all of those who were intentionally discriminated against. If we had not called out their sinfulness, the Constitution would only be “words on paper.” All races built this country, and we deserve all the rights and privileges that God has given each of us. No white person who thinks they are entitled, has the right to rule over us. I will never be silent about who we are and what we deserve as citizens in this country. As Say McIntosh use to say,” God will have the last Word.”
This is my opinion, and I am going to fight against this racism and racist until the day I die.
The Indigenous people told us, “If the white man want to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace…Treat all man alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance.
Famous quote on power and greed, “But when we crave power over life—endless wealth, unassailable safety, immortality—then desire becomes greed. And if knowledge allies itself to that greed, then comes evil. Then the balance of the world is swayed, and ruin weighs heavy in the scale.
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a social and community advocate, and a long-time supporter of public schools.
opinions
ARKANSAS BLACK PERSONALITIES 2025
By Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 15, 2025
The following information was taken from a 2019 Black History Study Guide. This Guide’s content has been used all over the state of Arkansas in reference to Black History. Let me lift up for you that the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame has honored many of the individuals I will mention. Basically, what I want to do with this article is to just lift these personalities up; read a little bit about them and go on the internet and look up who they are and what they did and how they have added value. I’m going to ask you to share this with your family, because I think one of the ways we miss out is, we don’t share some of the people that have covered Arkansas and have done a great deal of work.
I have another disclaimer at the end of the article. However, I want to show the front end first and there’s no way in the world that I think I’m getting all the wonderful and outstanding Black personalities in Black History in the state of Arkansas. I’m using someone else’s information, but I want you to know that if someone’s name is not on this list, it’s because there was no bad list, and in working with my Virtual Assistant I did not want myself to start adding names. I want to make it as convenient for her as I can and also for myself. So, let me begin the list:
· Al Green– Soul music legend, best known for hits like "Let's Stay Together" and a smooth, soulful voice.
- Bobby Mitchell – Former professional football player and civil rights activist, known for his time with the Washington Football Team.
- Carl Freeman: A leader in education and Black community development in Arkansas, Freeman worked to promote Black culture and expand educational opportunities for African Americans.
- Charlotte Stevens – The first Black teacher in Little Rock during the Reconstruction Era. Her contributions were so significant that an elementary school in Little Rock, Charlotte Stephens Elementary School was named in her honor.
Cortez Kennedy – Born in Osceola and spent the first 18 years in the small town of Wilson. A Standout NFL player. The Six-time Pro Bowler was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2012.
- Daisy Bates – Civil rights leader and newspaper publisher, known for her leadership during the Little Rock Nine desegregation crisis.
- Debbie Turner – A respected activist and community leader advocating for social justice and education.
- Dee Bennett – Acclaimed artist and cultural leader, known for his contributions to the arts in Arkansas.
- Dr. Patricia Washington McGraw – Advocate for education and youth programs, particularly for underprivileged communities.
- Dr. Ruth Patterson – A pioneering educator and author who contributed significantly to African American history and literature. She was the first to teach Black literature in Little Rock’s public schools and authored “The Seed of Sally Good'n,” documenting a Black family's history in Arkansas.
Dr. Samuel L. Kountz, Jr. - Was an African-American kidney transplantation surgeon from Lexa, Arkansas. He was most distinguished for his pioneering work in the field of kidney transplants, and in research, discoveries, and inventions in Renal Science, in 1961, while working at the Stanford University Medical Center.
- Eliza Miller – Early civil rights advocate and community leader in Arkansas, known for her educational and social contributions.
- Emma Hunter Brown: An educator and activist who dedicated her life to advancing civil rights and improving education for African Americans in Arkansas.
- Ernest Jacobs: A prominent businessman and civic leader in Arkansas, known for his contributions to the local community and his efforts in promoting African American entrepreneurship.
- Ernest Joshua Sr. – Community activist and philanthropist, known for his contributions to education and social justice.
- Haki Madhubuti – Renowned poet, educator, and publisher, a key figure in the Black Arts Movement.
- Hubert Ausbie – Civil rights leader and educator, known for his activism in education and advocacy for African-American rights.
- Joe Silas Hunt: An influential lawyer and civil rights leader who worked to secure equality and justice for African Americans in Arkansas, focusing on legal advocacy and education.
- Lenny Williams – Renowned R&B singer, best known for his solo work and as the lead vocalist of Tower of Power.’
- Lou Brock – Hall of Fame MLB player, widely celebrated for his stolen base records and outstanding career with the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Maya Angelou – Renowned author, poet, and civil rights activist, best known for her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
- Mildred Smith: A pioneering figure in the fight for civil rights and educational advancement, Mildred Smith worked tirelessly for the improvement of African American communities.
- Milton Crewchaw – Community leader and educator in Arkansas, known for his work in advancing educational opportunities.
- Missouri (Big Mo) Arledge – Famous for his contribution to African American culture, particularly in sports and community development.
- Mosaic Templars of America – A prominent African American fraternal organization founded in 1882 to promote social and economic welfare.
- Nathaniel Clifton – One of the first African Americans to play in the NBA, breaking barriers in professional basketball.
- Nolan Richardson: A legendary basketball coach, best known for leading the University of Arkansas Razorbacks to an NCAA championship in 1994 and advocating for racial equality in sports.
- Rickie Henderson – Former MLB player, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players and base stealers in history.
- Rosetta Tharpe – Pioneering gospel singer and guitarist, often regarded as one of the godmothers of rock and roll.
- Scipio Jones – Prominent lawyer and civil rights advocate who helped secure the release of African-American men wrongly convicted in 1919.
- Scott Jack - An influential community leader and activist who worked to improve the lives of African Americans through civic engagement, education, and advocacy.
- Scott Joplin – Legendary composer and pianist, often called the "King of Ragtime," famous for his work in early American music.
- The Little Rock Nine - A group of nine African American students who integrated Central High School in 1957, playing a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and school desegregation.
- Wiley Britton: A significant figure in the African American community, Wiley Britton was an educator, community leader, and advocate for civil rights in Arkansas.
- William H. Brown was a prominent African American leader in Arkansas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his work in education, politics, and civil rights, serving as one of the few Black legislators in Arkansas during Reconstruction.
- William Hare Flowers: An educator and activist who made notable contributions to advancing civil rights and improving educational opportunities for African Americans in Arkansas.
- Willie Roaf – Pro Football Hall of Famer, known as one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history.
Let me say with all sincerity, as I said in the beginning, I know I have not listed all the great personalities in our state. I further ask you to help me help the people who do the study guide and to add any names that we may have missed today. In closing, I ask, as I did earlier, that you share this with your family members, with organization and community members and other persons who may be interested in some of the personalities who have been Black in the state of Arkansas and in the things that they have done in so many different areas. In these presentation events there is always room to explain, but you are now the person who can marshal and make an outstanding accomplishment for yourself and the state of Arkansas and around the world. With God all things are possible!
Love,
I Am
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Dr. McAdoo is a retired district superintendent in the United Methodist Church
opinions
The Samaritan Health Project
by Deborah Springer Suttlar
February 8, 2025
While Trump and the Republican Regime are causing unconscionable damage to American Democracy, on January 24, 2025, many of us witnessed the launch of “The Samaritan Health Project.” This project is a call to action for Health Justice.
A Samaritan is referred to in the Book of Luke 10:30-37, as a person who is generous in helping those in distress. The Samaritan Health Project is the brainchild of Dr. Sandra Bruce Nichols, a former director of the Department of Health in Arkansas and who later became a Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Health Inclusion and Community Engagement at UnitedHealth Group. Dr. Nichols is a survivor of serious health issues, and after her retirement, decided to address the disparities of the underserved in health care. She is passionate about helping others seek the help they need. The pilot project of The Samaritan Health was presented in Little Rock, Arkansas where Dr Nichols was raised on the east side of the city.
At the launch of The Samaritan Health Project, Dr. Nichols chose to honor two people who influenced and supported her desire to address the needs of those underserved and those experiencing inadequate healthcare. She also honored a third individual who is addressing critical rural health needs and collaborating with other healthcare organizations. The following honorees were recognized.
Dr. Jocelyn Elders, the former director of the Arkansas Department of Health, was later named the 15th Surgeon General of the United States under President Bill Clinton. She was the first Black woman to serve in this position. Dr. Elders later worked at the University of Arkansas as a professor of pediatric endocrinology until her retirement. In 2016, the Jocelyn Elders Clinic was established in Kisinga, Uganda. This clinic serves students to promote sex education and treat those students suffering from diseases such as malaria.
Mellie Boagni who serves as the CEO, President, and Founder of the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership and as the University of Arkansas for Medical Science (UAMS) Regional Director of Strategy, Management, and Administration. She has over 23 years of experience in community and organizational networking, grant writing, and program development and implementation. Ms. Boagni has been effective in addressing healthcare needs and access in rural Arkansas.
Rev. Dr. William H. Robinson, (Paw Paw) the founder of Better Community Development, formerly Black Community Developers, Inc (BCD). This organization was founded to address drug addiction and to provide services to eliminate the drug problems in our community. He served as Senior Pastor of Theressa Hoover Memorial United Methodist Church for over 35 years. Rev. Robinson has expanded the operation to include health services to all those regardless of race, creed, or color. He has also expanded operations through BCD’s Affordable Housing department which has taken blocks of dilapidated building and built new affordable homes in the midtown area of Little Rock. These honorees were recognized because of their passionate desire and works in which they have demonstrated a “Samaritan spirit.” In their service to the community.
Dr. Nichols has a Samaritan spirit, and she has stated that the mission is to build a framework for that effectively shift disparities in healthcare among the underserved. Our own Opinion writer Pastor and Judge Wendell Griffen addressed the group and highlighted the need for all of us to be involved to help our community move toward justice and equity for health care.
I wanted to make you aware that there are people looking beyond this mess we are dealing with in this country who have a passion for addressing the real needs of our people. Dr. Nichols is also seeking core partners to strategically partner with us to create a national framework that will empower the underserved. The minority, poor women, and children in need of quality and efficient healthcare. We all know that Black women have a higher rate of maternal mortality and Arkansas’s healthcare system is low including low-income equality, and a lack of health insurance. Arkansas ranks 47th in healthcare. We have problems and adequate healthcare for all is one of them.
I chose to highlight The Samaritan Health Project. Our health is an issue, and we need to take the disparities in healthcare and our health seriously. This project will address a critical need.
Dr. Paul Farmer: “If access to health care is considered a human right, who is considered human enough to have that right?”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought for a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a community activist and longtime supporter of public schools.
opinions
BLACK HISTORY – OUR HISTORY?
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 8, 2025
Hello and happy Black History Month! All my articles in February will have a Black History focus. As I begin to try to find a proper way of starting, I saw on the internet a wealth of reading concerning Black History. Rather than just trying to regurgitate what I have been reading I wanted to point my article in two directions. The first direction is to look at the birth of black history in more legitimate and competent ways of education. I believe we as blacks, and the whole community, need to know exactly what has gone on and what is going on in the black community.
My next point will a direct focus on Black American personalities in the state of Arkansas. I will give a brief history of each of them as we mark and lift up those things they have done so we might ponder.
The birth of Black history can also be referred to as African-American History. It has been called this by most scholars and in my opinion was the brain child of Carter G. Woodson. The structure started with the Dr. Woodson “In Association for the Study of the Negro Life and History in 1926.” The 2nd week of February is the focal point, because in that week was the birth of Abraham Lincoln, on February 12th. Just as aside, February 12 is also the birthday of Charlie Edward McAdoo, and I’m glad to be born on Lincoln’s birthday! President Douglas’s birthday is February 14thand that day is also another celebration in America, because that is Valentine’s Day. This week is Black community celebration week, and has been since the late 19th century.
The celebration began in earnest to encourage school systems across the country to place informative content in the standard curriculum in many of our schools. Fortunately, for myself, I grew up taking a class in Tennessee on African-American History and my wife also had a class in African-American History. As I personally grew up, I took that class on Black History at Wilson County High School in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Here is a quick aside that you may or may not know. At one time, African-Americans were not afforded the privilege of a true academic offering. Many of the Black high schools in the South were training schools. Basically, these schools were there to train African-Americans to do menial work and other kind of things. Even though I attended Wilson High School, my older brother and sister attended Wilson County Training School in Lebanon, Tennessee.
The reason behind Dr. Woodson’s push on Black history was to not be content just teaching about the blood access of African-Americans, but to also emphasize the physical and intellectual survival of Black Americans within the borders of the United States.
From that push and many efforts, a week grew into a month. Black educators and black students at Kent State University offered the first Black History program in January of 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State University a year later from January 2nd to February 28th 1970. An additional last historical footnote: President Ford in 1976 recognized Black History month during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He stated, “Let us seize upon the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor through our history.”
This effort and first-hand information has had its ups and downs throughout the years. It has been a growing controversy and is with us today, and I will probably write some later on this. There are some communities in which first-hand accurate information and respect for African-American History has been a slap in the face of the White community because of this word that people use today, “Critical Race Theory”. CRT (Critical Race Theory), is not taught in elementary nor High School in America. It is an academic course that persons can take on a higher education level. It’s not forced upon anyone and is only taught at the higher education level. The legal defense fund in America, a premier legal organization, fighting for civil justice defines CRT in the following way:
“It is an academic and legal framework that denotes that systematic racism is part of the American society- from education and housing to employment and healthcare. Critical Race Theory recognizes that racism is more than the result of an individual’s bias or prejudice.
The five tenets of CRT are: the notion of racism is ordinary and not aberrational, the idea of our interest convergence, the social construction of race, the idea of story-telling and counter story-telling and the notion that whites have actually been hurt by these assumptions.”
I feel this current historical background and the upbringing of these dates, influences me to say that I will not write about Arkansas historical personalities this week. I think we have enough to get started, and I’ll leave it at that.
So, going back to my original notation,” Black History – Our History?” which has been noted down through the years, there would not be any Black History if there had not been whites and others who have cooperated with us in how to get things done. It was a very cooperative effort. However, I just want to go back to Dr. C. Woodson. If you get nothing out of this month’s articles, please remember C. Woodson! Look him up on the internet and have him in your heart and in your prayers for what he had done for our community in the United States of America!
Love,
I Am
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired district Superintendent in the United Methodist Church.
About Us
Why we must create our own narratives
Perception is reality. How we are viewed and what is said about us matters. It is abundantly clear that here in Arkansas, we as African-Americans don't control many, if any, statewide media groups. On any given day, COUNT the number of positive stories reported by print and television stations KATV, KARK/KLRT-FOX-TV, and KTHV, about African Americans in Arkansas.
In Arkansas, with the exception of KTHV, the media groups and their ownerships are conservative and often often distort people of color and specifically, BLACK families. As black consumers of the news, "that's the part we miss." How on the "regular" we are portrayed by white media groups and their local news stations and print media.
A study from the University of Illinois concluded that at best media outlets (a) promoted racially biased portrayals and myths that pathologize black families and idealize white families with respect to poverty and crime (b) play a dangerous role in spreading debunked stereotypes about black families and (c) at worst, amplify those inaccurate depictions for political and financial gain. We've all seen that type of behavior before.
When media outlets examined in the study reported stories about poor families, they chose to feature black families in their coverage 59 percent of the time, even though only 27 percent of families living below the poverty line are black.
Similarly, in coverage of welfare, 60 percent of families portrayed were black, even though only 42 percent of families receiving welfare are black.
Finally, the article addresses the real-life consequences of the continued distortion of black life by the media. "When the news media constantly associates black people with crime, it increases racial stereotypes among viewers, leading the public including liberal and conservative Arkansan's to disproportionately favor punitive criminal justice policies." As a collateral damage piece, when the poor are depicted as overwhelmingly black, it leads the public to support heavier restrictions on welfare because of a perception that undeserving black people benefit from it. Backers of corporate and right-wing policies gain when the news media blames black families for social conditions, while their own role in destabilizing society remains invisible.
This online publication exists to counter the narrative that constantly depicts African Americans as "less than." It exists to balance the negative view of African American life that is constantly depicted in the local news and information outlets in this state. We are so much more than the lip-service paid to us by those that control the news cycle. It's not about the reporting of the news, it's about the process of manufacturing the news. There is a saying that goes something like this. "If you control the messenger, then you control the message." Let's take some of that control back. As African Americans in Arkansas, let us create our own narratives. Most importantly, let us report and talk about the real issues.................. with our own voices,.... and our own opinions.
meet our contributors
opinion
opinion
opinion
Deborah Suttlar
Deborah is a longtime Community and Civil Rights Activist. Her column appears in the Opinion Section.
Click the link below to read read Deborah Suttlar's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion
opinion
opinion
opinion
The Honorable Wendell Griffen
Judge Griffen will comment on the law and its impact on Black Arkansans. He will also discuss and legal and social issues on a state and national level impacting Black Arkansans and Black Americans.
Click the link below to read Judge Griffens column.
Finance
opinion
Religion
Gaining generational wealth is the key to Black economic family wealth and security. We will share strategies from the Association of African American Financial Advisors to help you and your family get there. We will inform you about managing your finances so that you can start your path to financial freedom.
Religion
Religion
Rev. C.E. McAdoo
Rev. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church. He will provide a weekly column on Religion and Black Arkansas.
Click the link below to read Rev. McAdoo's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion .
At the State Capitol
State Representative Joy C. Springer
State Representative Joy Springer is a veteran school an civil rights advocate for African-American children and their families. She will provide a weekly column on state legislative and educational concerns affecting African -Americans .
Click the link below to read Representative Springer's column.
Medicine and health
This weekly column features a listing of top African-American doctors in Arkansas, and their areas of expertise. We will try to connect you with physicians who understand your physical, cultural and mental health needs. One study suggests that African American male patients who meet with black physicians often ask to receive more preventive services than patients who met with nonblack physicians. This study also suggested that black doctors are more likely to provide a comfortable settings to black patients, perhaps because of shared experiences or backgrounds. The study concluded that increasing the amount of black physicians could lead to a 19 percent reduction in the black-white male cardiovascular mortality gap and an 8 percent decline in the black-white male life expectancy gap.
Education
Who to call
Who to call
This weekly column will focus on educational happenings in the state including news from local school districts and the Arkansas Department of Education.
Who to call
Who to call
Who to call
People always have "who to contact questions." Whether it is a local city government office or a state government office, we will try to steer you in the right direction.