Author Archives: Scott

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About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

Community Philanthropy and Public Service is focus of Clinton School lecture at noon

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As a Scholar in Residence at the Clinton School of Public Service Center on Community Philanthropy Antonia Hernández will present her research on “Community Philanthropy and Public Service; Practice models in giving, civic engagement and leadership.”

The program will start at noon at the Clinton School.

Hernandez is president and chief executive officer of the California Community Foundation. The California Community Foundation works to strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit sector in Los Angeles County so they can more effectively work toward improved quality of life for all Angelenos.

Nationally recognized for her commitment toward the betterment of underserved communities in Los Angeles and beyond, Antonia Hernández joined the California Community Foundation as president and chief executive officer in 2004.

Previously, Ms. Hernández was president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national nonprofit litigation and advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of the nation’s Latinos through the legal system, community education, and research and policy initiatives.

An expert in philanthropy, civil rights and immigration issues, Ms. Hernández began her legal career as a staff attorney with the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice and worked as counsel to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary before joining MALDEF in 1981 as regional counsel in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Hernández is a member of the boards of directors of the national American Automobile Association, the Automobile Club of Southern California, Council on Foundations, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Grameen America and Blue Shield of California Foundation. She currently serves on the Commission on Presidential Debates, the Los Angeles 2020 Commission, the JFK Library Foundation Profile in Courage Award Committee and the UCLA Board of Advisors, among others. She is a frequent public speaker and has been awarded a number of honorary degrees and awards.

Ms. Hernández is a member of the State Bar of California, District of Columbia Bar, American Bar Association and the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles and a is fellow of the American Law Institute. Ms. Hernández earned her B.A. in history at UCLA in 1970 and J.D. at the UCLA School of Law in 1974.

Women’s History Month Throwback Thursday: The Fine Arts Club

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In 1914, a group of women interested in visual art came together in Little Rock and formed The Fine Arts Club of Arkansas. 

In the early years, they gathered for regular discussions and taught art classes. 

Over time, the Fine Arts Club started acquiring artworks through donations. Originally they displayed these in the Pulaski County Courthouse in a room loaned to them for that purpose. 

Eventually, the County needed the space and the Fine Arts Club needed more room.  In the early 1930s, members approached Mayor Horace Knowlton with the suggestion of the City constructing a fine art museum. 

After securing funding for construction from the WPA, ground was broken and the Museum of Fine Arts opened in 1937 in City Park (now MacArthur Park).

Members of the Fine Arts Club staffed the museum as volunteers and docents as well as arranged for traveling exhibits. From the museum, the club continued to offer classes and guest lectures. 

By the mid-1950s, there was a desire for larger exhibit space, and the Fine Arts Club joined with the Junior League and the City of Little Rock in creating a new art museum.  

In 1963, the Arkansas Arts Center opened in MacArthur Park. This new facility encompassed the previous museum as well as additional spaces. With the hiring of professional staff to curate exhibits and teach classes, the Fine Arts Club transitioned to a volunteer corps and continued special monthly programming. 

Today, the purpose of the Fine Arts Club is to promote and extend the activities, usefulness and enjoyment of the Arkansas Arts Center.  The Fine Arts Club supports the Arkansas Arts Center by hosting programs featuring knowledgeable and dynamic speakers, and providing volunteers.  

Night Serenades by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra tonight

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO), Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, continues the 2014-2015 Intimate Neighborhood Concerts series with Night Serenades, featuring one of the most well-known pieces in the classical genre: Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The event is held March 12th at 7:00 PM at the St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Dr., Little Rock, AR.

Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and ASO Composer of the Year John Corigliano’s Aria for Oboe and Strings, featuring Lorraine Duso Kitts, share the remainder of the program.

The Intimate Neighborhood Concerts series is sponsored by the Stella Boyle Smith Foundation.

Tickets are $25; active duty military and student tickets are $10 are can be purchased online at http://www.ArkansasSymphony.org; at the St. James United Methodist Church beginning 60 minutes prior to the concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 100.

PROGRAM:

MOZART: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade, K. 525)

CORIGLIANO: Aria for Oboe and Strings; Lorraine Duso-Kitts, oboe

TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 49th season in 2014-2015, under the leadership of Music Director Philip Mann. ASO is the resident orchestra of Robinson Center Music Hall, and performs more than sixty concerts each year for more than 165,000 people through its Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series, ACXIOM Pops LIVE! Series, Landers FIAT River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series, and numerous concerts performed around the state of Arkansas, in addition to serving central Arkansas through numerous community outreach programs and bringing live symphonic music education to over 26,000 school children and over 200 schools.

ANNIE (1982 version) at the Ron Robinson Theater tonight

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Leapin’ Lizards, the John Huston-directed 1982 version of ANNIE is being shown on the big screen at the Ron Robinson Theater tonight.  The film starts at 7pm; admission is $5. 

Based on the 1977 Tony winning musical and the 1930s Harold Gray comic strip, the film stars Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, Raymond Thorne, and Geoffrey Holder. Playing the title role is Aileen Quinn.  

In the depths of the 1930’s, Annie is a fiery young orphan girl who must live in a miserable orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks. Quickly, she charms the hearts of the household staff but can Annie charm the seemingly cold-hearted Mr. Warbucks or discover what happened to her real parents? 

Peanuts character Franklin is focus of Clinton Center program today at noon

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Today at noon at the Clinton Presidential Center Great Hall, Harriet Glickman and Ken Kelly will share the story of a schoolteacher who changed the course of Peanuts history.

During this special presentation, “The Story of Franklin: Just Another Kid in Peanuts,” the duo will describe their roles in the creation of Franklin, the first African American character in the Peanuts comic strips. The event will be held in conjunction with the two temporary exhibits, “Pigskin Peanuts” and “Heartbreak in Peanuts.”

In the wake of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ms. Glickman, a Los Angeles school teacher, began a vibrant correspondence with Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz, as a result of her outreach to nationally syndicated cartoonists regarding the lack of diversity in popular comic strips.

She shared the response she received from Mr. Schulz with Ken Kelly, a longtime friend and father with young children, who then wrote a letter of support to Schulz from the perspective of an African American parent.

Construction begins on March 16 on new parking deck at CALS downtown

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Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) plans to begin construction on a new parking deck at thcalse corner of Rock Street and President Clinton Avenue on Monday, March 16.

Rock Street will close from the corner to the alley on the north side of the Main Library to accommodate construction barriers. Access to Rock Street is from 2nd Street, and through traffic will be routed through the alley.

“We will more than double the number of parking spaces at the Main Library with the addition of the new deck,” said Bobby Roberts, CALS director.

“More than 800,000 people visited the Main Library campus last year, so having more parking spaces will make it easier for our patrons to use books and computers and attend meetings and programs.”

Construction should be completed by November, 2015. The new deck will have about 130 spaces, with an estimated $3.9 million construction cost. Little Rock voters approved a bond issue in 2012, which provided funds for the construction.

For more information contact 918-3086 or sgele@cals.org.

Marines of Montford Park focus of film at MacArthur Museum tonight 

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The winter weather delayed this event twice, but tonight the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History will show the film The Marines of Montford Point: Fighting for Freedom.  the movie will start at 6:30 at the museum in MacArthur Park.

Hosted and narrated by Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr., this movie profiles the first African Americans recruits in the United States Marine Corps. It begins with their experiences at Montford Point Base, a segregated boot camp in the heart of the Jim Crow South.

All-black battalions from Montford Point loyally served their country (some as officers) in three major conflicts: World War II, Korea and Vietnam.  All the while they were fighting for their country, they were also fighting for their own civil rights back home.

During the film, Montford Point veterans recount the racism they encountered both within and outside the military. They also reminisce about the rigors of basic training, the harsh conditions of the barracks, and the perils of combat.

There is no admission cost.  Light refreshments will be available.

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is a program of the City of Little Rock Parks & Recreation Department.