Born in Little Rock, Ark. in May 1936, historian David Levering Lewis paved the way for in-depth considerations of figures such as W.E.B. Du Bois and African American men and women of the early 20th century. Despite having educators for parents, Lewis didn't learn to read until he was about six years old. After his father was as a witness in a NAACP case to ensure equal pay in the South, his family moved to Ohio. Lewis attended Fisk University where he learned from some of the pioneers of

Farmers have had to adjust the way they sell their products to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses like White River Creamery and Fat Top Farm have tried new services like home delivery and reaching farmers market customers through a smartphone app.

At Tuesday's daily coronavirus response briefing, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced he is extending the state's emergency status during the pandemic saying Arkansas is not yet done taking precautions despite the rolling back of some restrictions and the reopening of certain businesses. He also said he is ending the ban on most recreational travel. And while Arkansas's economic outlook is not as great as it was a year ago, Huchinson said it's also as not as bad as had been feared just a few weeks

John Luther, the director of Washington County Emergency Management , and Becky Stewart, chief of Central EMS , the county's ambulance service, describe how they and their teams are faring and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the county.

The Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Foundation is launching a COVID-19 Relief Initiative. In partnership with the Arkansas Department of Health's Office of Health Equity, the foundation is now accepting applications for mini grants from organizations serving black and other underserved communities throughout the state. The initiative started with $25,000, but the foundation is seeking additional funding.

As Governor Asa Hutchinson begins rolling back pandemic restrictions in the state, Mervin Jebaraj, the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas, says the economies of smaller cities and rural areas might take longer to bounce back from the crisis than the state's larger metro areas.

While some states like Michigan have had high-profile protests against social distancing rules for businesses and activities, Arkansas has not. John Brummett, political writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Roby Brock, with our partner Talk Business and Politics , discuss why that might be.

On Monday, during his near-daily coronavirus response briefing, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced houses of worship and large outdoor venues can reopen immediately with certain measures in place. However, indoor events will have to wait until May 18 to resume in any capacity. The governor also said the state legislature approved another $55 million for the Arkansas Ready for Business grant program after the original $15 million was applied for within an hour. Applications for the funds can be

We continue our series of discussions with instructors for a University of Arkansas Honors forum taking place later this month called Pandemic . Today, we have a conversation with Dr. Mark Thomas, the vice president and medical director of Population Health at Washington Regional Medical Center. The Pandemic forum will take place May 11 to 22. The Honors College will provide free public access to the forum by posting a recording of each class online.

Out-of-work Arkansans may quailfy for free workforce classes. The training , which includes about 75 online courses and programs, is being offered at no cost through a partnership between the University of Arkansas Professional and Workforce Development, the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District and the Northwest Arkansas Council.