JT
Jessica Tate
  • World Languages
  • Class of 2018
  • Nashville, AR

Students win trip to Museum of African American History and Culture

2017 Jun 22

Jessica Tate, of Nashville, is one of eight UA Little Rock students who went to Washington, D.C., after winning an essay contest to promote knowledge of African American history.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, the Joel E. Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity held an essay contest in February in which students answered: "Why does the United States need a National Museum of African American History and Culture?"

The winners include:

Kennedy Butler, junior art history major from Little Rock

Sean Corrothers, junior accounting major from Little Rock

Rebecca Doyne, senior advertising and marketing major from College Station

Ravan Gaston, sophomore political science major from Jonesboro

Jarodrick Mixon, senior health and performance major from Dumas

Jessica Tate, junior international studies and Spanish major from Nashville

Kiahjea Ward, junior mass communications major from Little Rock

Tori Williams, junior English major from Little Rock

The winners received a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The facility is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. To date, the museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts.

During the weekend of June 2-4, Anderson Institute Director John Kirk and the students traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit the museum, the White House, the National Mall, and other sites. The group also met with Dr. Adjoa Aiyetoro, former director of the Anderson Institute and a retired UA Little Rock law professor.

"Taking the students on these trips is fascinating," Kirk said. "Out of the eight students, two had never flown before. I think the students had a great time. This essay contest gave some of them their first opportunity to go on a flight, to see a big city, to discover more about African American history, and to experience the nation's capital city."