Seminars & Symposiums

Presentation for the February 2025 Black History Commission of Arkansas Symposium, "Empowering Narratives Unveiling Hidden Stories of Resilience and Achievements. Speaker is Phillip Herndon, Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame Inductee.

Presentation for the February 2025 Black History Commission of Arkansas Symposium, "Empowering Narratives Unveiling Hidden Stories of Resilience and Achievements. Speaker is Jimmy Cunningham, Director of the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Alliance.

Video recording of presentation from the February 2025 Black History Commission of Arkansas Symposium, "Empowering Narratives Unveiling Hidden Stories of Resilience and Achievements." "Where Did the Cotton Go?" is presented by Macy V. Butler, CEO & Owner of Antwon Publishing Company, LLC and the first Black Game Warden of Arkansas. Welcome and Opening Remarks by: Dr. Jesse Hargrove, Chair, Black History Commission of Arkansas and Dr. David Ware, Director, Arkansas State Archives.

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Delita Martin, Jeff Lewellyn, Garbo Hearne, and Garland Taylor discuss topics of preservation of culture through African American art, history of Arkansas's African American musicians, African American authors in Arkansas, and Henry Lewis Jackson.

 Symposium speakers Kevin Cole, Dianna D. Donahue, Rex Deloney, and Janis F. Kearney present on "African American Authors and Visual Artists in Arkansas." Visual artist Kevin Cole presents on why he became an artist and past art projects. Editor and publisher of Urbane magazine Dianna Donahue discusses her path to publishing news and stories of black Arkansans. Visual artist and educator Rex Deloney presents on "African American Visual Artists of Arkansas," including highlights on professor John Howard, Henri Linton, Tarrence Corbin, Earnest Davidson, Jeff Donaldson, Kevin Cole, Danny Campbell, Ariston Jacks, Wade Hampton, Dewey Crumpler, Manuel Hughes, Barbara Higgins Bond, Latoya Hobbs, Angela Davis Johnson, A.J. & Marjorie Williams-Smith, John Newman, Alonzo Ford, and others. Author Janis Kearney speaks on her writing experience and how to write memoirs. Her session includes writing tips, audience participation, and a question and answer session.

Symposium speakers Dr. Brian Mitchell, Cheryl Batts and Kwendeche, Larry Lewis, and Dr. Archie and Garbo Hearne speak on the topic of “African American Business and Entrepreneurship in Arkansas.” Dr. Brian Mitchell discusses the West Rock African American neighborhood in "The Partitioning of a City: An Examination of Sum Clearance, Urban Renewal, and Racism in Little Rock." Cheryl Batts and Kwendeche discuss "Mapping the Pleasant Street Historic District" of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Larry Lewis discusses the entrepreneurial history of his father, Angelo Charles Lewis, in the "History of the Lewis Esso Gas Station in North Little Rock, Ark." The Hearnes discuss "Hearne Business Development in the Paul Laurence Dunbar Historic Neighborhood District" including the Hearne's work in the medical profession, owning and operating Pyramid Art, Books, and Custom Framing, and community involvement.

Symposium speakers Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, Dr. Jesse Hargrove, and Dr. Joycelyn Elders, discuss topics of black medical professionals in Arkansas, Arkansas's Hidden Hospital, and Dr. Elders speaks on her journey to the White House.

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis, Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch and Brigadier General Gracus K. Dunn discuss topics of "The Forgotten First," "A Debutante, a Soldier, and a War Veteran," and "African-American Services in America's Wars."

Symposium speakers Rev. Edna Mack Pettigrew, Dr. Logan Hampton, and Walter Washington discuss "I am a Woman, I am a Minister," "Faith of Our Foreparents," and "Religion from a Millennials Perspective."

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Evin Demirel, Jimmy Cunningham Jr., Dr. Wilbert Gaines, and Kenneth (Muskie) Harris, discuss topics of personal experiences in Arkansas's sports.

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Chelsea D. McNutt, Dr. Simon Hosken, Carman Lanos Williams, and Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch discuss topics of Rosenwald Schools, desegregation of hospitals in the Delta, The Valentine Family Farm, and "The Negro Division of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, 1948-1965."

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Dr. John Graves, Blake Wintory, Cleveland K. Wilson, Flora Jean Gibson-Simon, and Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis discuss topics of the Mosaic Templars of America, Benevolent Businesses, Arkansas Free Masonry, "The History of the Royal Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, (PHA), Arkansas Jurisdiction", and "African American Fraternal Orders in Southern cemeteries."

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Dr. John Graves, Elmer Beard, Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, and Reverend R.J. Hampton discuss topics John Gray Lucas, "The Challengers: Untold Stories of African Americans who Changed the System in One Small Southern Municipality," "African American Women and the Arkansas Republican Party, 1960s – 1970," and Reverend R.J. Hampton.

Video recording of educator and philanthropist Dr. Sybil Hampton speaking on the current state of public education in Arkansas and reflecting on her experiences as a student at Central Hight School in Little Rock in the early 1960's at the Black History Commission of Arkansas's February 2024 symposium entitled "The State of Race Relations and Education in Arkansas Today."

Former chair of the Black History Commission of Arkansas Carla Coleman introduces Historian and former Arkansas educator Mabel Bynum who presented at the Black History Commission’s February 3, 2024 symposium titled “The State of Race Relations and Education in Arkansas Today.”

Video recording of symposium in which speakers Grif Stockley, Dr. Brian Mitchell, Carla Hines Coleman, and Dr. Randy Finley discuss topics of links between World War I and Elaine Massacre, "A Soldiers Life in the Jim Crow South,"Who Knew: She Served in the Red Cross," and "To Rid the World of Parentheses: Arkansas Soldiers (Colored) and World War I."