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Arkansas Activist Reflects on the Legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson

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Arkansas Activist Reflects on the Legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson


Leaders in Arkansas’s Black community are reflecting on the passing of civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson and the enduring legacy he leaves behind.

Among them is Edmond W. Davis — a historian, activist, and professor at Arkansas Baptist College — who says Jackson’s life and work shaped not only a generation of leaders, but the course of American history.

Davis, who is well-versed in African American history and civil rights, had the opportunity to meet and march alongside Jackson nearly 20 years ago during demonstrations surrounding the Jena Six case in Louisiana. He later met Jackson again about four years ago in Selma, a city widely recognized as a historic landmark of the Civil Rights Movement.

For Davis, those encounters were more than moments in time — they were affirmations of a calling to continue the work laid by leaders before him.

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“This is our history, and so we have to embrace it, the ups and downs, the highs, the lows, the glows and grows,” Davis said. “We have to embrace our history. And he’s one of the pillars of the 20th century that people scholars of the 21st Century, we can look back and say, Hey, let’s embrace what he talked about again,” Davis said.

He described Jackson as a towering figure whose influence extended well beyond the African American community.

“Let’s bask in the ambience of what he did for this country, what he did for not just black people, not black Americans, but all Americans. And so we can let them know, in terms of that realm, that Jesse Jackson represented all Americans. He was an ambassador of humanity. He wasn’t just a civil rights activist. He was a global rights icon,” Davis said.

When reflecting personally on Jackson’s character, Davis said several qualities immediately come to mind.

“When I think about Reverend Jesse Jackson, I think about ambition. I think about the sense of American identity. I think about, of course, the walk in faith with Jesus Christ. I think about being a family man.”

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Davis continues to carry forward the mission of advocacy and community empowerment. Most recently, he represented Little Rock as a grand marshal for the largest African American history parade held during Black History Month in Louisiana — an annual event welcoming people of all races and ethnicities to celebrate shared history and culture.

In addition to his role as a professor and historian, Davis serves as the executive director of the HBCU Black Wall Street CareerFest and remains active in numerous leadership roles throughout the community. He says leaders like Jackson continue to inspire him to use his voice for positive change.

As Arkansas and the nation remember Reverend Jesse Jackson, Davis says the best way to honor his legacy is to embrace the history he helped shape — and to continue building on the foundation he laid.



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Arkansas

Congressional subcommittee to hold hearing in Little Rock on ‘failures’ of local housing authority | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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Congressional subcommittee to hold hearing in Little Rock on ‘failures’ of local housing authority | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


Joseph Flaherty

jflaherty@adgnewsroom.com

Joseph Flaherty covers the city of Little Rock for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of Middlebury College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, he has worked for the newspaper since 2020.

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11 people arrested in connection with various charges in Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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11 people arrested in connection with various charges in Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


Arrests

Benton County Sheriff’s Office

Scott Minor, 45, of Elm Street in Jefferson City, Mo., was arrested Friday on suspicion of computer child pornography and sexually grooming a child. Minor was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with a $150,000 bond set.

Bentonville

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Damond Drake, 52, of West Highland Drive in Rogers was arrested Saturday on suspicion of delivery of methamphetamine or cocaine. Drake was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.

Fayetteville

Cornelius Anderson, 33, of Dawn Street in Fayetteville was arrested Saturday on suspicion of third-degree assault on a family member, third-degree domestic battery, first-degree criminal mischief and theft of property. Anderson remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $5,000 bond.

Eduard Korshakov, 37, of Prairie Dunes Trail in Fayetteville was arrested Saturday on suspicion of aggravated assault on a family or household member, kidnapping, first-degree false imprisonment, third-degree domestic battery and interference with emergency communications. Korshakov remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Efrain Quiroz, 29, of North Shamblin Avenue in Fayetteville was arrested Sunday on suspicion of second-degree battery and second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. Quiroz remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $25,000 bond.

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Leo Ward, 21, of West Tanner Drive in Fayetteville was arrested Sunday on suspicion of aggravated residential burglary and stalking. Ward was released from the Washington County Detention Center Monday on $25,000 bond.

Rogers

John Jenkins, 21, of Arkansas 351 in Jonesboro was arrested Saturday on suspicion of fraudulent use of credit/debit card. Jenkins was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.

Springdale

Ashlyn Neal, 19, of Powell Street in Springdale was arrested Saturday on suspicion of kidnapping, second-degree battery, endangering the welfare of a minor, resisting arrest and obstruction of government operations. Neal was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

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Jose Neal, 37, of South Powell Street in Springdale was arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-degree domestic battery, third-degree domestic battery, interference with emergency communications and resisting arrest. Neal was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

Skyler Shane, 31, of Highway 62 in Westville, Ok., was arrested Sunday on suspicion of Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance with intent to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, carrying a prohibited weapon and disorderly conduct. Shane was released from the Washington County Detention Center Sunday on $3,500 bond.

University of Arkansas Police Department

Celso Adame-Gallegos, 19 of Jade Street in Springdale was arrested Friday on suspicion of possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver. Adame-Gallegos was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

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Erika Kirk to Join Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Announcement at Arkansas State Capitol

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Erika Kirk to Join Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Announcement at Arkansas State Capitol


Arkansas leaders are set to take the stage at the State Capitol Wednesday afternoon for an announcement already drawing statewide attention.

At 1 p.m., Sarah Huckabee Sanders will appear alongside Erika Kirk, the chairwoman and CEO of Turning Point USA, at the Arkansas State Capitol.

While officials with the governor’s office have not yet released details about the announcement, the joint appearance is expected to draw significant attention from political leaders and supporters across the state.

The moment also brings renewed focus to the legacy of Erika Kirk’s late husband, Charlie Kirk, a nationally recognized conservative activist who built one of the country’s largest student political organizations aimed at mobilizing young voters on college campuses.

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In 2025, Kirk was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Authorities say the gunfire erupted during a gathering connected to student political programming, sending attendees scrambling for safety.

Kirk was rushed from the scene but later died from his injuries, sparking shock and an outpouring of reaction from political leaders, students, and supporters across the country.

In the weeks that followed, memorials and tributes appeared nationwide. In Arkansas, supporters and lawmakers honored Kirk’s life and work with a memorial exhibit displayed inside the Arkansas State Capitol, recognizing the influence he had on conservative youth activism and campus politics.

Following his death, Erika Kirk stepped into a leadership role at Turning Point USA, pledging to continue the organization’s mission and expand its outreach to students across the nation.

On Wednesday, Kirk will again be at the Arkansas State Capitol, this time standing beside Governor Sanders for a joint announcement, as leaders gather and the state waits to learn what the two will unveil.

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