Lencola Sullivan made history by breaking through the color barrier within the Miss American Pageant. Sullivan became the first African-American to win every competition she ever entered. Her first foray into pageants was in 1977 when she represented her hometown of Morrilton. She won the title of Miss Morrilton in 1977 and Miss University of Central Arkansas in 1978, placing in the Top 10 at the Miss Arkansas pageant both years. ...(more)...(more)

Born in Fordyce but raised in Little Rock, Henry Shead was one of five children of a reverend. At the tender age of six, Henry was introduced to the keyboards by his mother who immediately recognized his natural talent. Henry's mother saw to it that her son had piano lessons while his father's church provided the place for his early public performances.

As part of a musical combo, Shead played for junior high and high school dances and later in small clubs, as well as performing regularly on a local American Bandstand-type TV show. Shead was awarded a scholarship to the University of Arkans...(more)

One of 16 children, a high school dropout, married and at age 16 a mother of the first of six children, Dr. Emma Rhodes broke the cycle of becoming a victim.

At the age of 24, Dr. Rhodes worked to obtain her GED while still caring for a growing family. She then attended a commercial business college in Little Rock and got a job as a secretary at Philander Smith College, working at the college during the day and attending classes at night.

Although she was widowed at 29, Dr. Rhodes continued her education and received a bachelor's degree in education in 1972. She then went to work as a bu...(more)

Justice Glenn T. Johnson was born in Washington, Arkansas, July 19, 1917. He attended elementary and high school in Washington, Hope and Hot Springs, Arkansas. Justice Johnson earned the degrees of Bachelor of Science in education from Wilberforce University, Xenia, Ohio and Juries Doctor and Master of Laws from the John Marshall Law School of Chicago. He is a graduate of the National College of State Trial Judges and completed the Appellate Court Judges' Seminar at the New York University School of Law.

Justice Johnson received honorary degrees from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff...(more)

Born in Stamps, Arkansas December 18, 1918, Charles was the eldest child of Annie and Charles Bussey. Educated in the Stamps public schools, he attended Bishop College in Texas. He served in the United States Army and was a 33rd Degree Mason.

Having spent most of his adult life in the Little Rock political arena, he was both "pathfinder" and "trailblazer" in many areas of public service. He was the first African-American elected official to serve on the City Board of Directors since reconstruction, serving from 1969-1976, and then again from 1979-1990. He also became the first African-Am...(more)

'Oliver Keith Baker was born in McGehee, Arkansas, to Oliver Walter and Yvonne Brigham Baker. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981. He received his Doctor of Philosophy in Physics from Stanford University in 1987. Dr. Baker pursued postdoctoral research at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He is currently an endowed university professor of Physics at Hampton University and, jointly, a staff physicist at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Professor Baker pursues research in the physics of elementary particles and nu...(more)