College professor named to Black History Commission
College professor named to Black History Commission
When Jesse Hargrove moved to Alexander two years ago, he quickly became a spokesman for his community, and one of the first people he met with, in that role, was Mayor Paul Mitchell.
“The people in my area of Meadow’s Edge, the homeowners association, asked me to act unofficially in the capacity so we could talk as homeowners about speed bumps, sidewalks and places for children to catch the bus,” Hargrove said. “So when the opportunity [to be on the Black History Commission of Arkansas] came up, knowing that is part of my personal goals for social service and civic involvement, I, for sure, wanted to take it on.”
Hargrove said he wanted to do some things that would bring awareness to Alexander, and being appointed to the Black History Commission of Arkansas last October, was one of those ways he could reach out and be involved with others. He said it is an opportunity to be a part of something new.
“This role is an opportunity to share the history, heritage and culture of African-Americans and their contributions to the state of Arkansas and also to preserve the history of Arkansas,” Hargrove said. “When we had the program on the Elaine Race Riots, the history is still as fresh as it was then, with people telling new parts that you have not heard, concerning the role of women and their contributions to the movement.
“Most people hear the legal version, the worker version or the attorney version. You hear terminology — new lexicon, new languages and new perspectives — on what occurred in history. … That’s where we look for interesting talks and discussion. These discussions around historical topics must be done in a matter that is civil, and civility is a key process with discussion.”
According to The Department of Arkansas Heritage website, www.arkansas heritage.com, the commission “seeks to collect materials on Arkansas’ black history and its history-makers to raise awareness of their contributions and the impact of black Arkansans on the state’s history.”
Hargrove is an associate professor of Spanish and art in the Division of Arts and Humanities at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, but he has been at the school for 20 years in various capacities. Earlier this year, in May, he was named the 2019 Exemplary Teacher of the Year by the college.
“Throughout my entire career, I have been invited to be on various history commissions,” Hargrove said, “so being on the Black History Commission for Arkansas is sort of like a natural thing.”
Hargrove said that in 1992, when he worked at the University of Arizona in Tucson, he testified before a federal committee on behalf of former U.S. Sen. John McCain to advocate for a national museum for African-American heritage.
“It was an act to bring about a national museum so there would be a place to preserve the history and culture of the African-American people,” he
said. “My interest in history and what is happening in this state is so people can be brought to understand how African-Americans lived in this state and what they are doing now.
“I want to continue the history and legacy of AfricanAmericans, and I believe it is a natural tie-in to the work I am doing at the college and with speaking around the nation.”
Donna Collins, administrative assistant for the Division of Education, has known Hargrove for 15 years, and she said Hargrove is a person that everyone loves.
“He is always smiling, he’s a brilliant person, and he is full of information,” Collins said. “He is just loving and kind, and he is compassionate and a considerate person. … He is very good at cheering people up. He is just a cheerleader for people. He makes them feel good about themselves.
“He is always finding something nice or complimentary to say about a person to make you feel good.”
During the course of this interview, making his way through campus, Hargrove was stopped by students and faculty alike, and he greeted all of them with the same enthusiasm and encouragement — even the ones he didn’tknow.
“He knows everybody,” Collins said. “When he gets on Facebook, he lets everyone know what is going at the college, and he takes a lot of pictures and videos.
“I call him a historian. If you didn’t have an opportunity to go to an event, he takes video and shares it so you can live it through his eyes.
“He is well-received and well-loved and very energetic.”
Hargrove said one thing he would like to do for Alexander is to organize a festival to recognize Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the announcement of the abolition of slavery.
“I would like to get the mayor and the city involved in that,” he said. “We have a wonderful park. That type of celebration could easily be done in the city and serve as an opportunity to bring communities together in one accord.
“It is an important part for building the culture of a city.”
He said being on the Black History Commission allows him to discuss a topic in a civil way without getting upset or emotional.
“These are hard topics, but you have to be able to introduce a discussion into Arkansas about its history and how it involves people,” he said. “When you talk to people about this state’s history, there are emotions involved, but can you talk about a topic and not cause a riot?”
As a teenager, Hargrove spent his summers in the Northeast, and he said he was the first African-American to win the Williamstown (Massachusetts) Community Tennis Tournament.
Hargrove, after being appointed to the Arkansas Commission on Closing the Academic Achievement Gap for 2004 to 2015, has served under three Arkansas governors, beginning with Mike Huckabee.
“We want to be about God’s work in our community, and we want to make a difference in this community, in this society and this world,” Hargrove said. “That’s what it is about — making a difference. It is intended to make a difference and impact our society in a positive way.
“That’s what I have pretty much done in every community I have lived in, and I have lived in nine different states.”
Collins said that when she heard about Hargrove’s
appointment to the commission, she was very excited.
“Even if he wasn’t appointed to that position, he seeks out history and the truth,” she said. “He is just excellent in that position because it comes natural to him.”
Hargrove is the author of The Best Poetry in America, published in 2010, and Closing the Achievement Gap in America: A National Imperative for a Super Man, a Super Woman and a Superintendent, a 2011 publication. He also wrote The Legacy of Celia Adams, a 2014 publication, “that focuses on the lasting legacy of slavery and its effect on his family and others,” according to the Arkansas Heritage website.
“[Hargrove’s] daughter, AnDrea Simone Hargrove, is a brilliant person, too,” Collins said. “She was inducted into the Southwestern Hall of Fame at Rhodes College, and he pushes her into being the best.
“She was about 4 or 5 when she wrote her first book, and she has been a high achiever all of her life, and he wants that high achievement for all of his students. He is going to do what he can to make sure they get to that point — he is a proud poppa for his daughter and his students.”
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.
This role is an opportunity to share the history, heritage and culture of African-Americans and their contributions to the state of Arkansas and also to preserve the history of Arkansas.”
Jesse Hargrove BLACK HISTORY COMMISSION OF ARKANSAS MEMBER