Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will headline the 20th anniversary celebration and tribute dinner for the John H. Johnson Museum, honoring nine lawmakers who sponsored legislation establishing John H. Johnson Day as a statewide memorial holiday.
Presented by the Friends of the John H. Johnson Museum, in partnership with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the event will be held at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock, from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 4.
The community is invited to attend. Tickets are $40, according to a news release.
The tribute will recognize Hutchinson for signing the John H. Johnson Day bill into law and the legislative sponsors of House Bill 1950, passed during the 92nd General Assembly in 2019, which officially designated Nov. 1 as John H. Johnson Day in Arkansas.
Honorees include:
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Sens. Fred Love and Jamie Scott;
Former Sens. Eddie Cheatham, Joyce Elliott and Linda Chesterfield;
Pine Bluff Mayor and former state Rep. Vivian Flowers; Reps. Fred Allen, former Reps. LeAnne Burch and Don Glover.
“John H. Johnson proved that determination, vision and faith in one’s community can redefine history,” said Angela Courtney, spokesman for the Friends of the John H. Johnson Museum. “His life is a testament to the power of using media to uplift, inform and inspire.”
Hutchinson praised Johnson’s enduring legacy and Arkansas roots.
“John H. Johnson’s story reminds us that greatness can emerge from any corner of our state,” Hutchinson said.
“His influence reached millions, and his commitment to truth and representation remains a guiding light. I appreciate the important legislation that honors John H. Johnson, an American icon and Arkansas entrepreneurial giant,” Hutchinson said.
Widely considered one of the most influential African American publishers in U.S. history, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and earned more than 30 honorary degrees throughout his lifetime, according to a news release.
The event tickets are $40. For details and tickets, visit Eventbrite.com .