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| Photo Courtesy of Ricky Lattimore |
Pastor Ricky Lattimore, of McGehee, is the newest member of
the Black History Commission of Arkansas.
“I want to make sure that we as a community know our black
history and know it is also American history,” Lattimore said. “We all need to
know about history regardless of race. We have to know where we came from to
know where we are heading. I just want to make sure that history never loses
its purpose.”
The seven-member commission is appointed by the governor and
meets quarterly. The Black History Commission, which sponsors educational
events and administers a grant program related to black history, is dedicated
to preserving Arkansas’s black history and educating people about it. The
commission meets next at noon Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Department of Arkansas
Heritage.
Lattimore, whose term will expire Jan. 14, 2026, replaces
Myron Jackson. Commission Chairman Carla Coleman welcomed Lattimore as the
newly appointed member and said she hoped he is ready to commit to "the charge to
educate and inspire” the people of Arkansas.
Lattimore was born in McGehee and has lived there his entire
life, except for the three years he spent in the military. He ran as a
Republican against Rep. Mark McElroy in 2017 but lost the race in a three-way
election. He is now Chairman of the GOP for the district covering Chicot County
to the Missouri line.
Lattimore has a long history as a presenter, teacher,
politician, advocate and minister. He lives by his favorite quote: “If there is
no struggle, there is no progress,” by Frederick Douglass.
Lattimore has been a pastor for 24 years and ministers at
the Tabernacle Baptist Church. He has 16-plus years of experience working with
at-risk youth and as an expert in gangs and other criminal organizations. He is
a liaison and gang expert for law enforcement and the juvenile court system, where
he worked for 10 years. He ministers in prisons, specifically at the Delta
Regional Unit. He also operates programs to help people have food, house goods
and clothing.
“I’m involved in a whole lot,” Lattimore said. His mission in
life is to help people from all different backgrounds – “the haves and have
nots” – and to be a public servant, he said.
“I’m compassionate toward all people regardless of race,”
Lattimore said. “I like to see everyone treated fairly and their needs met. I
just have a compassionate heart for people – that’s my daily life, making sure
people are helped and treated fairly.”
Lattimore is interested in all aspects of his community. He
is part of the disaster relief team for Chicot and surrounding counties, was a McGehee
city councilman for four terms and is part of the Delta Regional Economic
Advancement Mission, which works to improve the quality of life and economy of communities
in the Delta region.
He has been married 38 years to his wife Judy and has three
adult children: Tamara, 33, Andre, 35, and Ricky, 37.
As part of the Black History Commission, Lattimore plans to
see how and what black history is taught in public schools. He said he is
interested in continuing to preserve black history and making sure people learn
from the past because history influences and informs the present.
“Our history made us who we are today,” he said. “If you
don’t know your history, you are doomed to repeat it.”
