Governor Hutchinson's Weekly Address | Arkansas's Black History Heroes

February is Black History Month, and today I'd like to pay tribute to some of the Arkansans who have made a real difference in our state and nation.

More than 160 Arkansans have been inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. Many of those are historic figures who contributed to the early growth and governance of Arkansas. Many others are still making news. They have represented Arkansas in the fields of journalism, publishing, and entertainment; law; politics; agriculture; restaurants; nuclear science; computer science; the military; and college and professional sports.

The most recent Hall of Famers to make national news are Annie Abrams and Fatima Robinson. Annie Abrams was in her mid-20s during the Central High desegregation crisis of 1957 who was one of many who knew the students who were known as the Little Rock 9. On the first day of Black History Month this year, a crew from Good Morning America broadcast an interview with Miss Annie from her house in Little Rock. She was a friend of L.C. and Daisy Bates, a living connection to that transformative era in our history. At 90, Miss Annie still writes (often by email) and otherwise communicates her view to leaders around the state.

On Sunday, millions around the world watched the work of Little Rock native Fatima Robinson, who choreographed the halftime show for Super Bowl LVI. She also choreographed the halftime show for the Super Bowl in 2011.

Raye Jean Jordan Montague, who died in 2018, was an engineer with the U.S. Navy who produced the first computer-generated rough draft for the construction of a Naval ship.

Estella and Knoxie Hall were entrepreneurs who persevered through setbacks rooted in racial attitudes at the time. In the 1970s, they turned a gas station into a produce market, which grew to include a small restaurant. Their three sons still run K. Halls Produce at 1900 Wright Avenue.

When Lottie Shackelford ran for a seat on the Little Rock Board of Directors, she became the first black candidate to win a majority in a citywide race. She was reelected twice, and in 1987, the board elected her as Little Rock's first female mayor.

Scipio Jones is one of the best known of Arkansas's historical figures. Scipio was born into slavery in 1863, and after he won his freedom, he began his college career at Philander Smith College. He passed the Arkansas Bar Exam in 1889. Mr. Jones is best known for his defense of twelve black men who were sentenced to death in connection with the Elaine Race Massacre. He ignored threats to represent the men on appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the death sentences. That victory produced a landmark decision that established a precedent for the use of writs of habeas corpus. Scipio Jones risked his life to seek justice for his clients.

This is a short list whose courage, creativity, and tenacity have enriched our state. Black History Month is an appropriate time to remember them, but let's not limit our honor of them to a few days every year.

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