The Black History Commission of Arkansas and Mosaic Templars
Cultural Center Advisory Board plan to work together to find ways to preserve
and promote African American History in Arkansas.
Several members of the Black History Commission of Arkansas
attended the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center Advisory Board meeting Tuesday,
Jan. 14, at the cultural center at 501 W. Ninth St. in Little Rock.
“I’m glad to have this joint meeting,” said Ryan Davis,
chairman of the MTCC Advisory
Board as of January. “One of the pieces of the Black History Commission’s
mission is to propagate the teaching of black history – black Arkansas history
in particular – in Arkansas schools. I’m grateful Mosaic Templars also reflects
part of that same mission, and I’m grateful to discuss our overlapping missions.”
Mosaic
Templars Cultural Center’s mission is to preserve, interpret and celebrate
African American history and culture in Arkansas. The Black History
Commission of Arkansas collects materials
on Arkansas’s black history and history makers for the Arkansas State Archives
and works to raise awareness of the contributions and impact of African
Americans on Arkansas history.
Commissioners said they are interested in finding ways to
work with MTCC to promote and preserve African American history in Arkansas.
That partnership could include Curtis Sykes grants, which the Black History
Commission of Arkansas awards quarterly.
The Curtis H. Sykes Memorial Grant Program offers grants of
up to $3,500 to provide support for African American historical preservation
and public programming projects in Arkansas. The most recent awardees include
two book projects and a play, which will
be at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Feb. 28 and 29.
MTCC has been working with its sister agencies, including
the Arkansas Arts Council, to bring new and exciting exhibitions to the museum,
said MTCC Director Christina Shutt. Collaboration with the Black History
Commission that could increase education and public outreach for African
American history and culture would be welcomed, added Carla Coleman, Black
History Commission of Arkansas chair.
The Black History Commission of Arkansas will meet next at
noon Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Arkansas State Archives. The Mosaic Templars
Cultural Center Advisory Board will meet next at noon Tuesday, April 14, at the
center. The meetings are open to the public.
