Honoring Black History – Sharing Stories of Pioneers and Charting New Paths Forward
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In honor of Black History Month, FOX 16 News is sharing stories of Black history in Arkansas and looking at Arkansans making new history today.
We meet with Yolanda Renee King, the only grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. FOX 16’s Donna Terrell spoke with her on how she’s picking up where he left off with her new picture book “We Dream a World.”
Then, we visit the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock to look at their ongoing mission to preserve Black history and share new perspectives of how those stories are told.
We also meet with Washington D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith, the United States Park Service’s first African American female police chief. She speaks on her path of firsts that brought her from Pine Bluff to the nation’s capital.
John H. Johnson was a pioneer in the magazine world and created the publishing company empire in Chicago which is known worldwide for its influential Black magazines, Ebony and Jet. In his hometown of Arkansas City, Johnson was honored with a statue during the celebration of the fifth annual John H. Johnson Day.
‘It embeds my fathers legacy,’ John H. Johnson statue honors Arkansas native, Ebony publisher
Noire Magazine is a new magazine that hopes to help its readers develop a deeper love and understanding of the contributions of Black Arkansans. We meet with magazine founder Stephanie Jackson to talk about her strength to stay the course in showing Arkansas through a different lens. The first issue of Noire Magazine launched in November of 2023.
Little Rock native Arlo Washington is the focus of an Oscar-nominated documentary “The Barber of Little Rock.” Washington, a barber for more than 20 years, is also the owner of People’s Trust, Arkansas’ first Black-owned bank.
Natural State talent could be seen recently on the nation’s biggest stage. Sean Christopher Freeman, a graduate of Parkview High School in Little Rock, was the skate choreographer for Usher’s halftime show performance at Super Bowl LVIII.
Arkansan performs with Usher during Super Bowl Halftime Show
The story of the Little Rock Nine is perhaps one of the most well-known moments in Arkansas’ part in the Civil Rights movement. Now, a new wave of activists are following in the footsteps of those nine teens and charting their own path to change. We met with one young man to see how he’s doing just that.
To see the entire program, click the video in the player at the top of this page.
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