Blog
By Angel Burt – Bentonville, Ark. – The Momentary, part of the Crystal Bridges Museum of America Art in Bentonville, recently held a private tour of the new Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax exhibition attended by Arkansas Black Vitality. The five-month showcase initially kicked off on May 25 with a concert by R&B artist John Legend. […]
The Good Stuff By Dwain Hebda — The first time Harvey Williams showed his family the downtown Helena storefront where his vision for the distillery Delta Dirt was to be realized, he got a couple of sideways glances. Even today, as the stylish tasting room and production facility gleams on one corner of Helena, the […]
Local viewing ceremony at Little Rock’s Second Baptist Church By Arkansas Black Vitality Staff – Daisy Gatson Bates will soon get her due recognition at the U.S. Capitol, next to Rosa Parks. On Wednesday, May 8, Bates will become the 13th woman represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol in […]
By Wesley Brown and Angel Burt — Team “Ella the Banker” seeks to build family legacy with nationwide launch of children’s book on financial literacy The first time you get to meet Team “Ella the Banker,” you get the sense you are witnessing if something pretty big. Ten-year-old Liam Sprinkle and his mom, Shamim Okolloh, […]
The Big Aristotle, one of the creative nicknames associated with basketball great and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, is putting his moniker and star power behind the newest fast-food restaurant in Northwest Arkansas. Big Chicken, the star-powered chicken restaurant concept founded by O’Neal, announced the opening of its newest location in downtown Fayetteville on […]
Under the leadership of its 45th president, Shorter College is experiencing an unprecedented renaissance that rejuvenates the two-year technical school’s campus and the surrounding urban neighborhood. Founded in 1886 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Shorter is the nation’s only private, two-year HBCU. That partnership with the AME church was highlighted on Feb. 9 […]
By De’Stani Clark — The PBS team began with a quest to explore the architectural wonders of Taborian Hall. However, as the cameras started rolling, the narrative took an unexpected turn. For decades, Little Rock’s West Ninth Street was the heart of the city’s African American community, home to businesses, schools and fraternal organizations. The […]
By Dwain Hebda — Marcus Guinn, executive vice president and loan manager at Arvest Bank, is one of central Arkansas’s most respected and well-known bankers. Over a nearly 40-year career, the native of Gurdon has steadily created a solid reputation as he climbed the ranks through changing times, consolidation and mergers. He’s shuffled loan papers […]
By Wesley Brown — What do Jay Z, highly acclaimed British actor David Oyelowo, a new exhibit at the Arkansas State Capital, and the recently opened U.S. Marshalls Museum (USMM) in Fort Smith all have in common? They all bring newfound attention to the exploits and legend of the late Arkansas U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, […]
By Arkansas Black Vitality Staff — ReMix Ideas will host its 5th Annual Black Founders Summit on Oct. 10, bringing together business leaders, founders, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to advance Black entrepreneurship in Arkansas. The theme for this year’s one-day summit at the Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock’s River Market District is “Fueling […]
By The Arkansas Black Vitality Staff LITTLE ROCK – Sept. 24, 2024 – Ahead of the nationwide Nov. 5 general election, the League of Women Voters of Pulaski County is promoting the nonpartisan election resource VOTE411.org. This “one-stop shop” for election information provides Pulaski County and Arkansas voters with simple, accessible tools to navigate the […]
10th annual Dunbar Community Festival
The Southern Economic Advancement Project team recently launched its 12-state "Our Dollars, Our Dreams" campaign in Arkansas. Pictured, left to right: Emily Roberts (Engagement Coordinator); Genny Castillo (Deputy Director); Liza Crichton (Federal Resources Coordinator); Afia Tyus (Research Associate); Sarah Beth Gehl (Executive Director); Dede Dunham (Communications Manager)