Arkansas Black Vitality Staff

LITTLE ROCK – March 26, 2026 – Former Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris will deliver her first keynote address at the Arkansas Democratic Party’s 2026 Fisher Shackelford Dinner on April 25.

Arkansas Democrats will host a press call with party leaders to discuss the appearance scheduled for noon today. The event will take place at the Wally Allen Ballroom in the downtown Little Rock Convention Center. 

The Fisher Shackelford Dinner started in 2014 to honor the legacies of two Arkansas Democratic icons: Honorable Lottie Shackelford, the first Black female mayor of Little Rock, and the late Jimmie Lou Fisher, Arkansas’s longest-serving state treasurer.

Each year, the dinner celebrates trailblazing women who follow in their footsteps and open doors for young girls growing up in Arkansas today. This year, the dinner will recognize Debrah Mitchell, Rep. Tippi McCullough, and Addie Jones.

“We are so honored for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I could not be more grateful that Vice President Harris chose Arkansas for her first keynote speech following the 2024 election,” said Arkansas Democrats Vice Chair Jannie Cotton.

Vice President Harris is the national leader who most embodies the spirit of our Fisher Shackelford Dinner. As the 49th vice president of the United States and the first woman in American history to hold the office, there would be no one better to keynote this incredible event and celebrate our remarkable honorees,” said Cotton, noting that the Vice President’s team confirmed the exclusive Arkansas appearance recently on CNN.

In the 2024 presidential race as the Democratic Party nominee, Harris lost to Donald Trump by 86 electoral votes and nearly 2.3 million popular votes. As noted, Harris served as U.S. vice president during Joe Biden’s administration. She is the first woman, first Black person, and first Asian American to have served in the role.

Those interested in attending Harris’s upcoming appearance can purchase tickets here.