Arkansas Delta Informer Staff – Sept. 6, 2022 – The Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Foundation (ABHAF) held a press conference today (Sept. 6) at the downtown Robinson Center to announce the reboot of its 28th annual induction ceremony on Oct. 15.
The statewide event is returning from a hiatus of three years due to the COVID-19 health crisis that was declared a global pandemic in March 2020. This year’s inductees will include Arkansas businessman and diplomat Sherman Banks; longtime Little Rock physician Dr. Joe Hargrove; the late community activist Gertrude Newsome-Jackson; businessman and McDonald’s franchisee James Thrower; corporate and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) executive Hattie Hill; and actress Ketty Lester.
The 27th version of the black-tie-gala was held in October 2019, where 1,400 people from across the state and nation joined in honoring former Arkansas Sen. Irma Hunter Brown, longtime Little Rock architect and contractor Wallace “Wali” Caradine, television writer John Donley, legendary Little League football coach Ed Johnson, opera singer Kristin Lewis, and R&B singer Roscoe Robinson.
ABHOF Foundation Chairman Charles Stewart, and Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Gina Gemberling, and other members of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Foundation, said the highly anticipated induction will showcase honorees whose influence on the fields of government, education, architecture, television, and music has had a lasting impact. They also provided further details of the upcoming 2022 inductees and the award ceremony at the press conference.
To learn more, contact ABHAF at arblackhalloffame@gmail.com.
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