African American history is woven into the past, present and future of Arkansas. Many prominent African Americans were born in Arkansas or made
significant contributions while living in the state. We are celebrating their accomplishments by offering these free classroom materials.
1. John Bush (1856-1916) – Co-Founder of the Mosaic Templars of America
2. Chester Keatts (1854-1908) – Co-Founder of the Mosaic Templars of America
3. Daisy L. Bates (1913-1999) – Activist; Mentor to the Little Rock Nine; Founder of the Arkansas
State Press
4. Derek Fisher (1974) (Little Rock, AR) Former player with the Los Angeles Lakers; Former coach
of the NY Knicks; National Basketball Association
5. Shirley Brown (1947) (West Memphis, AR) R&B singer best known for the million-selling single
“Woman to Woman”
6. Scott Joplin (1868-1917) Known as the “King of Ragtime,” Joplin composed more than 40 ragtime
piano pieces, including “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer”
7. Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973) (Cotton Plant, AR) Was one of gospel music’s first superstars
and the first gospel performer to record for a major record label
8. William Grant Still (1895-1978) (Little Rock, AR) Nationally and internationally acclaimed
composer of symphonic music
9. Shaffer “Neyo” Smith (Camden, AR) (1979) Recording artist and songwriter
10. Robert Lee Hill (1892-1963)(Dermott, AR) Founder of the Progressive Farmers and Household
Union and political activist
11. Scottie Pippen (1965) (Hamburg, AR) Former player for the Chicago Bulls; National Basketball
Association
12. Johnnie Taylor (1934-2000) (Crawfordsville, AR) Popular gospel and R&B singer, known
as the “Philosopher of Soul,” whose recording career spanned 46 years
13. Arthur Lee Porter Jr. (1961-1996)(Little Rock, AR) Musician proficient on saxophone, drums
and piano; Composer whose work ranged across jazz, rhythm and blues, funk and ballads
14. Arthur Lee Porter Sr. (1934-1993)(Little Rock, AR) Referred to as an “Arkansas treasure,”
Porter was a pianist, composer, conductor and music teacher; Though best known as a jazz musician, he also performed classical
compositions and spirituals
15. Willie Ray “Smokie” Norful Jr. (1975)(Little Rock, AR) Grammy Award–winning gospel singer
16. Al Bell (1940)(Brinkley, AR) Former owner, producer and songwriter for Stax Records
17. Leroy “Eldridge” Cleaver (1935-1998)(Wabbaseka, AR)1960s leader of the Black Panther Party
18. Darren McFadden (1987)(Little Rock, AR) Former professional football player with the Oakland
Raiders and Dallas Cowboys
19. Samuel L. Kountz (1930-1981)(Lexa, AR) Physician and pioneer in organ transplantation, particularly
kidney transplant research and surgery
20. Melba Patillo Beals (1941)(Little Rock, AR) Member of the Little Rock Nine
21. Minnijean Brown-Trickey (Little Rock, AR)(1941) Member of the Little Rock Nine
22. Elizabeth Eckford (Little Rock, AR)(1941) Member of the Little Rock Nine
23. Ernest Green (Little Rock, AR)(1941) Member of the Little Rock Nine
24. Gloria Ray Karlmark (Little Rock, AR)(1942) Member of the Little Rock Nine
25. Rev. Joseph A. Booker (Old Portland, AR)(1859-1926) Editor, educator and community leader;
Was a prominent leader in Arkansas racial relations and a pioneer in African-American education in Arkansas
26. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff - 1873 - Founded as Branch Normal College; Public historically
black institution located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
27. Robert “Say” McIntosh (Osceola, AR)(1943) Restaurant owner, political activist and community
organizer distinctly tied to the Little Rock (Pulaski County) area and Arkansas politics
28. Sidney Moncrief (Little Rock, AR) (1957) Professional basketball player with the Milwaukee
Bucks of the National Basketball Association
29. Carlotta Walls-Lanier (Little Rock, AR)(1942) Member of the Little Rock Nine
30. Thelma Mothershed-Wair (1940) Member of the Little Rock Nine
31. Terrence Roberts(Little Rock, AR)(1941) Member of the Little Rock Nine
32. Jefferson Thomas (Little Rock, AR)(1942-2010) Member of the Little Rock Nine
33. Dr. Edith Irby Jones (Conway, AR)(1927-2019) First African American to attend and to graduate
from the University of Arkansas Medical School (now UAMS); Served as a highly successful doctor, educator and philanthropist in
Arkansas, Texas, and overseas
34. Carol Ann Blow (1953) – First African American female to attend Mount St. Mary Academy
35. Joseph Corbin (1833-1911) Journalist, served as Arkansas state superintendent of public
instruction during Reconstruction and was the founder and president of the first African-American institution of higher education
in Arkansas – which is now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
36. Philander Smith College– 1877 - First historically black, four-year college in Arkansas
and the first historically black college to be accredited by a regional accrediting institution
37. Christopher Columbus “CC” Mercer Jr. (Pine Bluff, AR)(1924-2012) Lawyer; NAACP field secretary;
Advisor to Daisy L. Bates; Drove the Little Rock Nine to school during their first semester
38. Charles “Sonny” Liston (St. Francis County, AR)(1932-1970) Boxer
39. Bass Reaves (Crawford County, AR)(1838-1910) Was one of the first black lawmen west of the
Mississippi River
40. Clarence L Hunter Sr. (1926-2004) First African American detective, sergeant, lieutenant,
captain and assistant chief of the Little Rock Police Department; retired in 1982
41. Charles E. Bussey Jr. – (1918-1996) First African American elected to serve on the Little
Rock (Pulaski County) City Board of Directors since Reconstruction, the first African-American deputy sheriff of Pulaski County,
and the first African-American mayor of Little Rock
42. Lottie Shackleford (Little Rock, AR)(1941) First female mayor of Little Rock
43. Frank Scott Jr. (Little Rock, AR)(1983) Mayor of Little Rock since January 2019.
44. Lucius Christopher “LC” Bates (1904-1980) Activist; Co-founder of the Arkansas State Press;
Husband of Daisy L. Bates
45. Sue Cowan Williams (1910-1994) Teacher; Fought for fair salaries for African American teachers
46. Arkansas Baptist College – 1884 – Historically Black Liberal Arts institution founded by
the “Colored Baptists of the State of Arkansas”
47. Scipio Jones (Tulip, AR) (1863-1943) Attorney that represented 12 men sentenced to death
after the Elaine Massacre
48. Mike Conley Jr. (Fayetteville, AR) (1987) Played NBA basketball with the Memphis Grizzlies
49. Milton Williams Jr. (Little Rock, AR) (1922-2017)Tuskegee Airman
50. Milton Crenshaw (Little Rock, AR) (1919-2015) Tuskegee Airman
51. Sheryl Underwood (Little Rock, AR) (1963) Comedian; Co-host of CBS’ “The Talk”
52. James “Lil JJ” Lewis III (Little Rock, AR) (1990) Comedian; Star of Nickelodeon’s “Just
Jordan”
54. John H. Johnson (Arkansas City, AR)(1918-2005) Owner and operator of Johnson Publishing
Company which produced Jet and Ebony Magazines
55. Deborah Myers Mathis – (1953) Worked in Washington, DC at WTTG-TV and then returned to Little
Rock to work at KARK-TV.She also worked as a journalist for the Arkansas Gazette and later the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and is
a published author.
56. Shorter College – 1886 – Historically Black two-year institution founded by the African Methodist
Episcopal Church; located in North Little Rock.
Loan Box
Our loan box, "Goin' North", is a free resource designed for Arkansas teachers to use in their classrooms. It is packed with reproductions of historical
artifacts, guide books and other educational resources. "Goin' North" explores the complexities and effects of The Great Migration
by focusing on the migrants themselves and the lives the African American migrants. The loan box is adaptable for grade levels 4th - 8th
grade and is available upon request for up to two weeks. It includes a teacher's guidebook with lesson plans, student worksheets and related
activities. Click here to request this loan box.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center has created reproducible lesson plans that follow Arkansas Department of Education curriculum guidelines. Our
lesson plans are for classroom use and related to Arkansas's African American history. All PDF materials listed below are free to download.
This lesson plan highlights the achievements of the Mosaic Templars of America and their contributions to Arkansas history. It features cross-curricular
activities. Suitable for grades K-12.
Mosaic Templars of America (2046 KB)
This lesson plan focuses on Little Rock's black business district and features cross-curricular activities, including math and science. Suitable
for grades K-12.
Little Rocks West Ninth Street (1254 KB)
This lesson plan reviews the nationally recognized art of African American sculptor, ceramicist, and illustrator Isaac Scott Hathaway. Hathaway
created sculptures of notable African Americans from Arkansas. Suitable for grades K-12.
Meet the Artist: Isaac Scott Hathaway (877 KB)
This lesson plan introduces students to the techniques of oral history and how it can be used to record community history. Suitable for grades
K-12.
Exploring Community History: Oral History (1128 KB)
Portraits of Courage: the story of women's sufferage in Arkansas is a collaborative project with Arkansas PBS and the Arkansas Division of
Elementary and Secondary Education. Find videos, professional development and more at: https://www.myarkansaspbs.org/arkansas_womens_suffrage.
If you have any lesson plans that you would like to contribute, please email a request to have them reviewed. Email the
director of education and include the subject line “Contribution – Lesson Plan Sharing.”
Arkansas Black History Items
2020 Arkansas composers Florence Price, and William Grant Still (123 KB)