honorees-slide

Our Honorees

Some of the country’s greatest inventors, doctors, authors, and performers are African American, and several of them have ties to Arkansas. For 30 years, the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame has recognized many of these outstanding individuals. Our inductees have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavor, and we are proud to acknowledge them and their contributions to African-American culture, the state of Arkansas and the nation.

inducteesbg

Class of 2025

Join us in celebrating the 2025-NEW class of Arkansas Black Hall of Fame inductees!

Latriece Watkins

Business Executive Extaordinaire Chief Merchandising Officer, Walmart U.S.
Class of 2025
Latriece Watkins serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart U.S., making her one of the top five executives at the world’s largest retailer and the nation’s largest real estate holder. Sincejoining Walmart in 1997 as a law student intern, she has built a distinguished career spanning more than two decades, holding leadership roles across real estate, Sam’s Club, Walmart U.S. merchandising, human resources, and store operations. Her breadth of experience enables her to bring a 360-degree perspective to her leadership, always with customers at the center. Before assuming her current position, Watkins served as EVP for Consumables and Over-the-Counter Merchandising, where she advanced omni-channel strategies in baby, beauty, personal care, household paper and chemicals, and over-the-counter health products. She previously held leadership roles in adult beverages, snacks, and general merchandise, where she established Walmart as a market leader. Throughout her career, she has led major strategic initiatives and portfolio transformations that continue to shape Walmart’s success. Watkins has been widely recognized for her leadership and influence in the retail industry. She has been featured in Essence Magazine, named to FORTUNE Magazine’s “Ones to Watch” list, and profiled in Talk Business & Politics. Her many honors include Forty Under 40, Women in Business, Women to Watch, Mass Market Retailer’s Most Influential Women in Retail, and the inaugural Madam C.J. Walker Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Committed to service beyond the boardroom, Watkins has served on the boards of Live Nation Entertainment, the Thaden School, and the Mercy Health Foundation of Northwest Arkansas. She is also active in community organizations, including the American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, and the Boys and Girls Club. A native of McGehee, Arkansas, Watkins displayed leadership early as a cheerleading captain and student council president. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law. Her Walmart journey began the day after she took the bar exam, when she received an offer for full-time employment, setting her on a historic path to the C-suite. Watkins lives in the Bentonville area with her two children, Alex and Londyn. She attributes her success to the example of strong, nurturing women in her family and carries with her the belief that life comes full circle: treat people with respect, because one day you may need to go back to them

Charlie Nelms, Ed.D.

Higher Education Leader, Author, & Philanthropist
Class of 2025
Dr. Charlie Nelms is a nationally recognized leader in higher education, a powerful storyteller, and a lifelong social justice advocate. Over the course of five decades, his influence has been felt across college campuses, national organizations, and communities striving for equity. Born September 11, 1946, in the Arkansas Delta town of Crawfordsville, Nelms was the fifth of 11 children of Eddie Sr. and Carrie (Stokes) Nelms. Although neither parent was educated beyond middle school, they instilled in their children the values of voting, land ownership, and education. Their guidance bore extraordinary fruit: nine of the siblings went on to earn post-graduate degrees. Although he is a member of the class of 1969, Nelms graduated a year early from Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College, now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and agronomy. His educational journey then took him to Indiana University (IU). Dr. Nelms completed both his master’s and doctoral degrees, launching what would become a nearly 50-yearaffiliation with the institution. He broke barriers as the first African American to serve as both a chancellor of an IU campus and as vice president of the University system. His distinguished career includes serving as chancellor at Indiana University East, the University of Michigan–Flint, and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), which U.S. News & World Report ranked among the nation’s best public historically Black colleges and universities for three consecutive years under his leadership. Dr. Nelms has been bestowed with Indiana University’s highest honors, including the President’s Medal for Excellence, the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, and the Thomas Hart Benton Mural Medallion for Distinguished Achievement. The university also awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2019, joining Earlham College, Martin University, and UAPB, which also awarded him honorary degrees. Nelms was awarded prestigious fellowships from the Ford Foundation and the American Council on Education. In 2012, President Barack Obama honored him with the MLK Drum Major for Service Award. Beyond administrative leadership, Nelms is a consistent public voice on higher education, leadership, and social justice. He is the author of Having My Say: Reflections of a Black Baby Boomer and Start Where You Find Yourself. His memoir, From Cotton Fields to University Leadership: All Eyes on Charlie(IU Press, 2019), was featured as part of Indiana University’s bicentennial celebration. Nelms donates all royalties from his books to the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in support of HBCU scholarships. His advocacy for higher education and social justice is frequently sought after at conferences nationwide and on myriad radio and podcast platforms. Dr. Nelms has also contributed as a writer to the Huffington Post for five years. Together with his wife, Jeanetta Sherrod Nelms, Dr. Nelms established endowed scholarships at UAPB, University of Michigan–Flint, IU East, and NCCU, benefiting 30–40 students annually. As a consultant, he has raised more than $200 million in support of HBCUs. In retirement, he continues to serve as President-in-Residence with the United Negro College Fund, Senior Consultant with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Senior Consultant with the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and College

The Honorable Marion A. Humphrey, Sr.

Legendary Jurist, Pastor, Civic & Social Leader
Class of 2025
The Honorable Marion A. Humphrey, Sr., has devoted his life to service through faith, law, and community leadership. For more than 40 years, he has shepherded Allison Memorial Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, while also distinguishing himself as an attorney and public servant. A retired circuit court judge for Pulaski and Perry Counties, he served on the bench from 1993 until 2010, following earlier election as a Little Rock municipal judge for four years. Born in Pine Bluff on November 2, 1949, Humphrey was the only child of Doris Lee Pendleton and Lewis C. Humphrey. He grew up in a loving household with his mother, a dedicated domestic worker, his aunts, and three cousins—LaWanda Pendleton, Veda Pendleton, Ph.D., and James Andre Pendleton Sr. who became like siblings. All pursued higher education, modeling the value of scholarship that Humphrey embraced throughout his own life. After attending Pine Bluff Public Schools, he went on to graduate from the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. His academic pursuits include a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University. Humphrey’s professional journey has been both wide-ranging and deeply impactful. In addition to private law practice in Pine Bluff and Little Rock, he served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Little Rock, Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arkansas, and Arkansas State Director for Prison Fellowship. He also worked nationally as Director of Prison Services for Prison Fellowship in Virginia and ministered as associate pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Early in his career, he gained valuable experiences a reporter and copy editor for the Pine Bluff Commercial, a research assistant in the office of New York Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, and an intern for Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright. Respected in both legal and civic circles, Humphrey is a member of the Arkansas Judicial Council, the Arkansas and Pulaski County Bar Associations, and the W. Harold Flowers Law Society. He is also a life member of the National Bar Association and the NAACP. His leadership has included serving as president of the Christian Ministerial Alliance in Little Rock, chaplain of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, and board member for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Lyon College, the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home, and theological institutions in Atlanta, GA. He has received numerous awards, including recognition from Philander Smith University, Rotary Club 99, the Pulaski County Bar Association, and A Better Chance and is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. Humphrey is married to Vernita Thomas Humphrey, and together they have one son, Marion A. Humphrey, Jr., his law partner at Humphrey & Humphrey Law, PLLC. He credits his achievements to the encouragement of his mother and the enduring love and faith of his wife. Guided by the words of Luke 12:48— “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”—he continues to exemplify a life of service, leadership, and faith.

Garbo & Archie Hearne, III, M.D.

Trailblazing Art Curators & Visionary Entrepreneurs
Class of 2025
For nearly four decades, Garbo and Dr. Archie Hearne, III, have enriched Central Arkansas through a rare dual commitment: advancing quality healthcare and celebrating Black culture. Together, they have built institutions that continue to shape the region’s artistic, educational, and community life. Their shared journey began in the early 1980s, when Dr. Hearne, a native of San Francisco, settled in Little Rock to begin his medical practice and soon met Garbo Watson of El Dorado, a registered nurse practitioner with a passion for the arts. In 1988, encouraged by friends and artists, the couple opened Pyramid Gallery at 12th and Fair Park. Within a year, the gallery expanded to include a custom frame shop and bookstore and relocated to Main Street, quickly becoming a vital cultural hub for exhibitions, book signings, and community programming. In 1997, the Hearnes moved their business to the River Market District, renaming it Pyramid Art, Books & Custom Framing and Hearne Fine Art. The new space elevated their profile as cultural leaders and provided a platform to promote traditions such as Little Rock’s annual Kwanzaa celebration. In 2010, after outgrowing their downtown space, they relocated to the historic Paul Laurence Dunbar Neighborhood. Today, Pyramid and Hearne Fine Art and Hearne Family Practice stand side by side, embodying their holistic vision of wellness, culture, and education. In celebration of 20 years in the arts, they published Collaborations: Two Decades of African American Art, Hearne Fine Art 1988–2008. Garbo Hearne, born May 26, 1961, is the youngest of four children of Hugh P. Watson Sr. and Bobbie Goodson Watson. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her nurse practitioner degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences before pursuing Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Arts at New York University. In 2014, she was certified by the Appraisers Association of America for African American art. That same year, she founded Arkansans for the Arts, the state’s leading advocacy organization for arts investment. She has served on numerous boards, including the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Central Arkansas Library System’s Six Bridges Book Festival, and the Arkansas Committee for the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Appointed to the Arkansas Arts Council by five governors and once serving as chair, she was also named to the Arkansas Humanities Council by President Bill Clinton. Her leadership has been recognized with many honors, including the 2024 Governor’s Arts Award for Arts Community Development. Dr. Archie Hearne, born March 1, 1952, is the second of seven children of Archie Hearne Jr. and Helen Rose Bradley. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio and completed residencies at Howard University Hospital and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences before beginning his service in rural and central Arkansas in 1983. His honors include the National Institutes of Health Public Science Award, the California Community Organization Scholarship for Travel to East Africa, the California State Graduate Fellowship, and the 2022 Charlotte Gadberry Award. The Hearnes credit their mothers as lifelong inspirations and continue to build a legacy rooted in family, faith, and service. They are the proud parents of four children: Ra Ambe, Auna, Archie IV, and AjaNia, and five grandchildren. Their philosophy is captured in the words of art historian Samella Lewis, prominently displayed in their gallery: "Art is not a luxury as many people think; it is a necessity. It documents history; it helps educate people and stores knowledge for generations to come.”

Dr. Cleon Aurelius Flowers

Pioneering Physician, Mentor, Civic & Social Leader
Class of 2025
Dr. Cleon Aurelius Flowers was a pioneering Arkansas physician whose career of firsts earned him national recognition and lasting respect. Born July 26, 1913, in Stamps, Arkansas, he was the second of three sons of Alonza William Flowers, a businessman, and Beulah Lee Sampson Flowers, an educator. After graduating from Stamps Colored High School in 1928 and from Philander Smith College High School in 1932, he enrolled at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College, now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he majored in biology and graduated with honors in 1939. He went on to earn his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1943. Drafted into the U.S. Army Corps while still a student, he later fulfilled his service in 1955, commissioned as a major with the 33rd Division at Bellevue, Illinois. Dr. Flowers began his medical career at the McRae Tuberculosis Sanitarium for Negroes in Alexander, Arkansas, before opening his first private practice in 1945 in the historic Mosaic Templars building in Little Rock. A year later, he purchased the facility that housed United Links Hospital, dedicated to serving Black patients. Although the hospital closed in 1950, the building remains a landmark, now known as the Flowers Professional Building. That same year, he broke barriers in Pine Bluff as one of the first two Black physicians hired at Davis Hospital, the predecessor of Jefferson Regional Medical Center. In 1954, Dr. Flowers achieved another milestone when he delivered Arkansas’s first Siamese twins not born in a hospital, an accomplishment that drew national coverage, including in the August 17, 1954 edition of (Jet Magazine). Beyond his medical practice, Dr. Flowers gave decades of service to his community and faith. A lifelong member of St. James United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff, he served for more than sixty years in leadership roles as trustee and finance committee member. He was active in the NAACP, the National Medical Association, and the Arkansas and Southeast Arkansas Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Associations, serving as president of both. He also contributed as a member of the 20th Century Club, the Northside Kiwanis Club, the AM&N/UAPB Board of Trustees, and Prince Hall Masons. Dr. Flowers and his wife, Martha Raspberry Flowers, raised six children: Dr. Cleon Flowers Jr., Dr. John Flowers Sr., Dr. Martha Ann Flowers, Clifford Flowers Sr., Clyde Flowers, and Randall Flowers. He passed away on his 89thbirthday in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of service, excellence, and faith. His brothers, attorney William Harold Flowers (Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Class of 2004) and attorney Curtis Virgil Flowers, were equally accomplished. Reflecting on his life’s work, Dr. Flowers often said: "Practicing medicine is part of my purpose in life. I know that I must use my God-given talents wisely so I may be blessed, and that helps me to continue to bless others in the process.”

Senator Linda Pondexter Chesterfield

State Senator & Education Icon
Class of 2025
Linda Pondexter Chesterfield has devoted her life to education, public service, and the pursuit of justice. Born on September 13, 1947, in Hope, Arkansas, she was raised by her mother, Earnestine Pondexter, whose resilience and sacrifice left an indelible mark. She also drew strength from her grandmother, Ophelia Logan, who worked in the fields before becoming an elementary school cafeteria manager and, at the age of 63, a certified nursing assistant. Working alongside her grandmother in the fields as a child instilled in Chesterfield the determination and sense of purpose that would define her life. A 1965 honors graduate of Henry Clay Yerger High School, Chesterfield was among the nation’s first National Achievement finalists. That same year, she was recruited to Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, where she and fellow student Emily Johnson of Little Rock helped to desegregate the campus. In 1969, she became Hendrix’s first African American graduate, earning a degree in history and political science. She later received a master’s degree from Ouachita Baptist University and pursued additional studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Central Arkansas. Chesterfield began her teaching career at Little Rock’s Hall High School, where she introduced the school’s first Black History Month observance. She later joined the Pulaski County Special School District, and over the course of thirty years in the classroom, she became a trailblazer in education leadership: the first African American woman elected president of both the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers and the Arkansas Education Association, and the only Arkansan ever elected to the nine-member National Education Association Executive Committee. She also made history as the first teacher-member of the Little Rock School Board, where she served two terms as president. Her commitment to service extended naturally into public office. In 2003, Chesterfield was elected to the ArkansasHouse of Representatives, serving three terms. She chaired key committees on K–12 education, aging, children and youth, and legislative affairs, and co-sponsored the legislation establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday. In 2010, she was elected to the Arkansas Senate, where she served four terms. Her leadership included chairing the Transportation, Technology, and Legislative Affairs Committee; sponsoring the two-cent sales tax that funded vital road and bridge improvements; and advancing salary equalization for Senate staff as chair of the Efficiency Committee. She twice served as Assistant President Pro Tempore of the Senate, each time appointed by Republican leaders, and also led the Arkansas Legislative Council Policy Committee with bipartisan support. While she takes pride in her legislative achievements, Chesterfield considers her most enduring accomplishment to be her decades as an educator, shaping the lives of generations of Arkansas students. She and her husband, Emry, are the proud parents of six children and the grandparents of 14. Chesterfield lives guided by a simple mantra that reflects the heart of her journey: "I’m just trying to matter.”

Make a Nomination

Without nominations, we would not be able to recognize the great Arkansans. If you know someone who is worthy of being inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, please consider nominating them. Nominees must have Arkansas roots (birthplace or place of residence) and have significantly contributed to African-American culture, the state of Arkansas, and/or the nation. Nominations are open year round, so submit your completed form for consideration today.

Nomination submissions must include:

A letter explaining why the nominees should be inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

Any supporting materials, i.e. articles featuring or about the nominee.

You can submit a nomination form below or print a copy and mail a completed packet to:

ABHOF Nominations Committee PO Box 1042 Little Rock, AR 72223

**Note: Mailed material will NOT be returned. Please do not send original copies.**

Nomination is not paramount to selection. Nominees will be placed in a pool for consideration by the Nominations Committee. If you have questions about how to submit your nomination form, please contact us at arkansasblackhalloffame@gmail.com.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Nominee Contact Information

Nominator Contact Information

Accomplishments of Nominee

Max. file size: 2 GB.
Max. file size: 2 GB.
Max. file size: 2 GB.
rocks2