UPDATES AND PIVOTS:
The Arkansas Peace & Justice Memorial Movement (APJMM) works in conjunction with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) to memorialize the 493 documented and known victims of racialized terror lynching in the State of Arkansas by placing a historical marker at the location of where they were lynched. One of the key features of each remembrance ceremonies is the APJMM/EJI Racial Justice Essay Contest where we invite public and charter high school students in the county where the lynching took place to write about the history of structural injustice in Arkansas and connect that history to the present. Students in Pulaski County can earn up to $5000 in unrestricted postsecondary educational scholarships.
On Saturday, In October 1906, two weeks after a race massacre engulfed Atlanta, Georgia, leaving nearly three dozen Black people dead, a similar event occurred here in what is now known as the Historic Argenta Arts District of North Little Rock. Ten people died during the “Argenta Race Riot of 1906,” including Homer G. Blackwell, a successful Black entrepreneur, restaurateur and leader in the Black community, who was lynched on the evening of October 7th at the intersection of 6th and Main Streets. Saturday, October 7, 2023, we will memorialize Homer G. Blackwell in the Argenta Historic District in downtown North Little Rock.
In the past APJMM / EJI winners were honored during the Community Historic Marker Ceremony (CHMC). It was decided from the feedback of the organizations that the CHMC and the Racial Justice Essay Contest should have equal attention. Our students need to be acknowledged for their efforts to learn American history/ Arkansas history. APJMM will be making an announcement about the essay contest at the ceremony and more information on website and details will be added soon. Stay tuned!
10/07/23 Update:
The Racial Justice High School Essay Contest has been announced!
CLICK LINK: https://sites.google.com/eji.org/pulaski-co-essay-contest to be sent to a special page with detailed information about the contest.
High school students… get engaged! The time is now.
Thank y0u!