Jan Feb2012

News�

President’s Message............1�Tonia’s Tidbits ....................2�AAHGS-AR Member News...3�Black History Month Events...4�Archie’s Corner...................5�PBS Black History Series....6-7�Scheduled Events.................8�AAHGS Info........................9�

Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.�

Arkansas Chapter�

“Cultivating our roots by identifying, collecting, documenting, and preserving our African American heritage”�

Greetings Members & Friends of AAHGS-AR!�

Our 2011 year has come and gone; we are now working towards new goals for 2012.�One of our goals for this year is to share genealogy and historical research with our youth.�They are our future family historians and our first meeting with them will take place on�February 1, 2012 and we will meet with them every first Thursday after that.�

Another one of our goals for this year is to become more visible in our community and so�far we have Dick Jeter Day on May 19, 2012 and McAlmont Day on June 16, 2012. There are others – Dark�Hollow Day and Dixie Day that we need dates for.�

We also have our annual conference scheduled for March 10, 2012 at the Mosaic Templar’s Cultural Center.�Our theme this year is�“The Forgotten: Arkansas African American Civil War Soldiers.”�

I would also like to take this time to THANK each and every one of you, especially our elected and appointed�officers, who have signed on for another two years. You guys make what we do as an organization possible!�

Michelle Hood�aahgs.arkansas@yahoo.com�

Pvt. Hartwell Carter was born about April 1842 in Jefferson, Arkansas. He�is listed on the 1900 United States Census for Young Township, Pulaski�County, Arkansas. He is a widowed, 58 year old farmer.�

On September 15, 1863, at the age of 21, Hartwell Carter enlisted for�military service. The 54�th� United States Colored Infantry was organized�March 11, 1864 from the 2�nd� Arkansas Infantry.� Attached to 2nd Brigade�Frontier Division, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to February, 1865. 2nd�Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Arkansas to�December, 1866.�

SERVICE.--Duty at Helena, Ark., until May, 1864. Ordered to Fort Smith,�Ark., and duty there until January, 1865. Actions at Fort Gibson September�16, 1864. Cabin Creek September 19. Cow Creek, Kansas, November 14�and 28. Ordered to Little Rock January, 1865. Action on Arkansas River�January 18. Duty at Little Rock and at various points in Dept. of Arkansas�until December, 1866. Mustered out August 8 to December 31, 1866.�

Hartwell Carter was a private in the 54th Regiment Company G of the�United States Colored Infantry. He is listed on the African American Civil�War memorial in Washington DC plaque C-66. He died�February 7, 1919 and was buried on February 8, 1919 in�the Little Rock National Cemetery, Plot 6, Row 0 and�Grave #6280.�

Headstone photos were taken by Angela Y. Walton-Raji�and Tonia Holleman. If you have any additional�information or corrections contact Tonia at�toniah904@aol.com�.�

AAHGS-AR Member News�

Archie Lee Moore, Jr.�

Congratulations to�AAHGS-AR Historion,�

Archie Lee Moore Jr., on�being voted President of�

the Board of Trustees�of the Central Arkansas�

Library System!�

March 10, 2012�Mosaic Templars Cultural�

Center�501 West 9th Street�

Little Rock, Arkansas�

Archie Moore, Speaker�Jay Miller, Keynote Speaker�Panel Discussion to Follow�

AAHGS-AR Chapter has agreed to�volunteer time to work with an after-�school program at Martin Luther�King Elementary to teach genealogy�and African American History.�

AAHGS-AR President Michelle Hood�and Secretary Margaret Moss�volunteered on Thursday, February�2. They had a wonderful time�helping the youth with family trees�and one of the youth was so excited�about finding information on his�family.�

For those of you who were unable to�attend in February, please plan on�volunteering your time on March 1,�2012 at 3012 MLK Drive, Little�Rock. We will help youth prepare�family sheets and tie this in with a�scrapbook project for Mother’s Day.�Hope to see you in March.�

Looks Who’s Speaking!�

e�“The Forgotten: Arkansas African�American Civil War Soldiers."�

Actor and author Hill Harper,� who plays Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on the CBS�hit series “CSI: NY,” will discuss black history within today’s society at 7�p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall�as part of UALR’s Black History Month events. Harper has written four�books including “Letters to a Young Brother” and “Letters to a Young�Sister” which provide inspirational lessons and guidance for today’s youth.�Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by the University�Program Council, Sodexo, and the Office of Campus Life.�

Danny Glover & Felix Justice� present An Evening with Martin�and Langston, February 9, 2012, Donald W. Reynolds�Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m. on the University of Central�Arkansas campus. Danny Glover and Felix Justice star in this�powerhouse performance that draws audiences inside the�worlds of two of the greatest orators of the 20th century:�Martin Luther King, Jr. and Langston Hughes. The evening�

begins with Justice’s critically acclaimed portrayal of Dr. King through the words of his�most memorable speeches. Glover brings to life the words and poetry of Langston Hughes�through readings of his work.�

In celebration of Black History Month, The Arkansas Democratic Black�Caucus (ADBC) will host its eight annual King-Kennedy Dinner Tuesday,�Feb. 21, 2012 at the Metroplex Event Center, 10800 Colonel Glenn�Rd., in Little Rock, Ark. A VIP reception begins at 6 p.m. with the�dinner following at 7 p.m. The event was established in 2005 to honor�and recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant�contributions to their communities and the state of Arkansas. Dr.�

Julianne Malveaux, president of Bennett College, economist, author and commentator�will be the keynote speaker for the event.�

There are many advantages to partnerships in the community, especially�in the area of community awareness. The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr.�Commission, with the assistance of the Arkansas Department of Human�Services, has implemented a program that is designed to encourage�youth to engage in positive leadership development and roles within their�communities. Therefore, the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission�will host “Nonviolence Youth Summit Part VI – A NEW BEGINNING” at the�

Durand Conference Center, 303 N Main, Harrison, AR 72601, on Friday, February 24, 2012�from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM. This event is free and open to all, but prior confirmation of�attendance is requested.�

A�R�C�H�I�E�‘s�

While attending the AAHGS conference in Little Rock�Arkansas in October 2011, Angela Walton Raji visited my table�which reflected my collection of black memorabilia. She�discovered three booklets in my collection, which were�devoted to health, hair care and hygiene and published in�1917 by a woman who was identified as Mme. M.E.�Hockenhull, of Pine Bluff Arkansas.�

She became curious and wanted to know more about the�author but I was unable to provide further information. I had�spoken to several people in Pine Bluff, but no one knew�anything about her. Angela was curious and decided to start�her journey to discover more about this successful black�business woman with her own product line who had provided many services for�women in her community.�

On her journey, she located Madam Hockenhull in the 1910 census married to�Mr. Robert Hockenhull. Mrs. Mattie Hockenhull had been married before and�therefore a child by the first marriage was living with them, listed as a stepson�(Isaac Gray).�

Upon further research, ironically, Angela discovered that Madam Hockenhull was�the Great Great Aunt of her first cousin, Melvin Collier. He revealed to Angela�that Martha Hockenhull (also known as Mattie), was indeed a business woman in�Pine Bluff Arkansas and that she left Arkansas in the late 1920s and moved with�her son Isaac to Chicago where she spent the rest of her life.�

He pointed out that Martha (Aunt Mattie) was born to the Danner family of Panola�County Mississippi. He even mentioned Mattie Danner Hockenhull in his book�“Mississippi to Africa”. He went on to tell me that Isaac, Martha's son, had�married Mahalia Jackson in the early years of her career. Martha Hockenhull was�also the daughter of a Civil War soldier as well--she was the daughter of a�freedom fighter!�

Found out more about Angela’s journey on her blog:�http://myancestorsname.blogspot.com/2012/01/search-for-and-�discovery-of-madam.html�

C�O R N E R�

Narrated by Laurence Fishburne�and produced and directed by Sam Pollard,�

premieres Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 at 9 p.m. ET�

Thousands of black men pulled back into a forced labor system in which they were arrested –�largely on trumped up charges – and compelled to work without pay as prisoners. This “convict�leasing” system saw the groups of prisoners sold to private parties – like plantation owners or�corporations - and that it was not only tolerated by both the North and South, but largely ignored�by the U.S. Justice Department.�

Dr. Sharon Malone, wife of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, tells the heartbreaking story of her�uncle Henry in the upcoming 90-minute PBS documentary “Slavery by Another Name.” The film�is based on the eye-opening book by Douglas A. Blackmon, which exposes a part of American�history that most folks either had no clue existed, or didn’t know existed to the extent that it did.�

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story�

10pm Monday, Feb. 6, on ThinkTV16�

This show profiles William Still - one of the most�important, yet unheralded, individuals of the�Underground Railroad.�

Black History Month Special Programs on PBS�

American Experience: Freedom Riders�

9pm Tuesday, Feb. 7, on ThinkTV16�9pm Sunday, Feb. 19, on ThinkTV14�

Chronicles the journey of the courageous band of civil-�rights activists in the Deep South in 1961.�

Independent Lens: Daisy Bates�

11pm Friday, Feb. 3, on ThinkTV16�

Follow the story of Daisy Bates and her support for the�nine black students who attended the all-white high�school in Arkansas.�

Independent Lens: More than a Month�

11pm Friday, Feb. 17, on ThinkTV16�

A 29-year-old African-American filmmaker is on a cross-�country campaign to end Black History Month.�

Page 8�

Wednesday, February 8�Brown Bag Lunch Lecture�

The Life of a Woodruff County Girl�Noon - 1 p.m.�

Thursday, February 16�Brown Bag Lunch Lecture & Book signing -�

Growing Up in Arkansas�Noon - 1 p.m.�

Wednesday, February 22�Brown Bag Lunch Lecture�

A Walk through History�Noon - 1 p.m.�

Wednesday, February 29�Brown Bag Lunch Lecture�

African-American Fraternal Headstones in�Arkansas: Identification and History�

Noon - 1 p.m.�

“Profiles in Arkansas Black History:�Markers and Makers”�

A seminar sponsored by the Black History�Commission of Arkansas and the Arkansas�History Commission, will be held on�Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the�Arkansas State Capitol, Room 151.� �The presentations at this seminar will feature�historical markers which highlight African�Americans and their roles in Arkansas history.�From places such as cemeteries, a church, the�site of a life-changing event for a well-known�musician, a gathering place for young civil�rights activists, and a lake, speakers will�highlight the stories behind the historical�markers and the makers of our state’s history.� �Events will begin at 9:30 a.m. The seminar is�free, but registration is required. To register,�email Jane Wilkerson, Arkansas History�Commission, at�jane.wilkerson@arkansas.gov�or call 501.682.6900. Registration deadline�

Visit a Cinema near you to�

support “Red Tails," which�

stars Cuba Gooding, Jr.,�

and Terrence Howard, is�

based on the Tuskegee�

Airmen, the group of pioneering black pilots who�

fought in the United States' segregated armed forces�

during World War II. The movie is directed by�

Anthony Hemingway, the rare black director getting�

a chance to direct a big-budget feature.�

We meet the first Saturday of each�month at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00�Noon at the:�

Arkansas Studies Institute� 401 President Clinton Ave� Little Rock, Arkansas�

Meetings are subject to be re-�scheduled due to holidays and�field-trip outings. There are no reg-�ular meetings in July or December.�In December, a Kwanzaa/�Christmas Brunch is held in lieu of�the regular meeting.�

We invite you to become a member�of the AAHGS Arkansas Chapter.�Membership is by calendar year�and may be entered at any time.�Gift memberships and memorials�are also welcome.�

Annual dues for individuals are�$50, which includes $15 for local�dues and $35 for national dues.�

The Arkansas Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical�Society (AAHGS�) was founded in 1997 by a group dedicated to preserving�and sharing genealogical and historical research techniques, conducting�educational programs, and preparing exhibits. Our goal is to bring to light,�through research, study, collaboration, documentation and presentation, the�History and Heritage of Arkansas people of African descent.�

Page 9�PO Box 4294�Little Rock, AR 72214�

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~araahgs�

Bi�-�M on th ly New sletter�Dead lines for�

S ubmi ssi on are Janu ary�5�th�, M arch 5�t h�, M ay 5�th�,�July 5�t h�, S eptember 5�th�,�

N ovember 5 th�

Michelle Hood�President�

Evelyn Tenpenny�Vice President�

Linda Hampton�Recording Secretary�

Margaret Moss�Corresponding Secretary�

Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis�Treasurer�

  �

Deb Hicks�Parliamentarian�

Archie Moore, Jr.�Historian�

Sharon Phillips�Newsletter Editor�

Webmaster�Vacant�

Stefania Booth� Public Relations Liaison�

Carla Hines Coleman� Fundraiser Chairperson�

Sheritta Camp�Mildred Coursey�

Kathy Davis�Elsie Dodson-Robinson�

Kenneth Henderson�Deborah Hicks�Darryl Johnson�

Gail Siddell Johnson�Ghita Johnson�

PAAC, Inc.�Antoinette Lee Plummer�

Gladys Randle�Donna Rayford�

Evelyn Tenpenny�James Wade�