UA Little Rock to Kick Off Black History Month Celebration with Lecture by Sen. Linda Chesterfield, Soul Food Friday
In celebration of the start of Black History Month, UA Little Rock will host a visit with Arkansas Sen. Linda Chesterfield on Feb. 1, followed by Soul-Food Friday on Feb. 2.
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building at UA Little Rock. The public is invited to celebrate Black History Month through this special evening of education and reflection. Those who would like to attend Sen. Chesterfield’s lecture may register online.
During her keynote lecture, “The Importance of Black History,” Sen. Chesterfield will share her insights on the importance of acknowledging, understanding, and teaching Black history to build a more inclusive and informed society. Guests will have the opportunity to learn about Sen. Chesterfield’s experiences as an educator and gain valuable perspectives on the role of Black history in shaping our present and future.
Sen. Chesterfield is a retired teacher with more than 30 years of classroom experience teaching. She is a past president of the Little Rock School Board and the Pulaski County Association of Classroom Teachers. She also served two terms as president of the Arkansas Education Association. She also served on the board of the National Education Association and is the only Arkansan to have been elected to the NEA’s nine-member Executive Committee.
In 2003, Sen. Chesterfield was elected to the House of Representatives, where she served through 2008. She was elected to the Senate in 2010, where she represents District 12 and serves as vice chair of the Senate Education Committee.
On Friday, Feb. 2, the university community will get the chance to experience the culinary delights of Soul Food Friday. Two Black-owned food trucks will serve lunch for students from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall.
Faculty and staff are invited to join the feast from 1-2 p.m. While students will receive a complimentary lunch, faculty and staff will need to purchase their meals. Students can register for the event on the Trojan Engage App.
For more information, contact Melvin Beavers at mebeavers@ualr.edu.
