A Service of UA Little Rock
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Black Arkansas leaders honored in celebration of Black History Month

Regina Hampton and Dr. Rev. R.J. Hampton posing with attendees of the celebration with the Legend Among Us Award and a letter from the Little Rock mayor.
Remington Miller
/
KUAR News
Regina Hampton and Dr. Rev. R.J. Hampton posing with an attendee of the celebration with the Legend Among Us Award and a letter from the Little Rock mayor.

Seven individuals were honored over the weekend for their leadership in Arkansas.

In honor of Black History Month, the Arkansas Heritage Celebration hosted its seventh annual event and rewarded the 2022 Legend Among Us awards. There were presentations from groups like the Arkansas National Guard, Little Rock Buffalo soldiers, and Cherokees for Black Indian preservation.

This year there were seven Black leaders honored at the event: Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Fort Smith Mayor George B. McGill, Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley M. Washington, state Sen. Stephanie Flowers, Trayce Parker, and Dr. Rev. R.J. Hampton. This was the largest group of recipients since 2019.

The annual awards ceremony was created by Jason Irby, the director and the founder of the event, to honor people who are still living and have made valuable contributions to Arkansas. Irby chose to name the award with legend instead of legends in order to emphasize the individual impact each recipient has made and to ensure the recipients maintain their individuality as they come from various backgrounds.

“It’s kind of like giving them the flower while they are still alive,” said Irby.

According to Irby, he chooses award recipients based on what is going on in Arkansas at the time. The first part of the program was titled "Three cities, three mayors, and that awesome Arkansas River."

“These three mayors all share that Arkansas River, that vein that runs through Arkansas,” Irby said, “By them all being mayors at the same time, it was kind of imperative that we got them in as a group.”

Scott gave a presentation at the ceremony where he honored fellow Legend Among Us recipient Hampton. Hampton is known for his many projects and service positions in the state, including running against Winthrop Rockefeller in the Republican primary for governor in 1970, along with serving as Shorter College’s president.

“You truly exemplify the phrase legend among us,” Scott told Hampton, “You have been blazing trails throughout your lifetime. As you share stories with those of us in the present, you inspire us to build upon your last efforts as we recommit ourselves to a brighter future.”

Irby said this year’s celebration was full of energy despite being a live stream event rather than in-person due to the pandemic.

“It’s important because a number of times people don’t know,” Irby said. “It brings about awareness, it brings about education, and then, we hope, that it brings about an interest of people learning more and people passing the word on that we have amazing people here in Arkansas. We have amazing people that are going to be great contributors to history.”

Remington Miller was an intern at KUAR News as part of the George C. Douthit Endowed Scholarship program. She later worked as a reporter and editor for the station.