The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission Executive Director, Dr. DuShun Scarbrough desired to be a part of the Harrison150 celebration and came to Harrison, Saturday, May 9, to present a proclamation on behalf of the MLK Commission before comedian Josh Pray took the stage at the Creekside Amp.
Scarbrough also brought greetings from Cole Jester, Arkansas Secretary of State.
Jester wrote, “Know that I, Cole Jester do proudly recognize the distinguished accomplishments, services and deeds of the residents of Harrison, Arkansas celebrating 150 years rich in legacy shaped by its people, culture and natural surroundings, working tirelessly to build a beloved community and welcoming city. Therefore, according to my duties as Secretary of State, I now present this Capital Citation along with the Arkansas MLK Commission to recognize your dedication to the community of Harrison and the noted contributions made to the Natural State and her people.”
Scarbrough said, “It’s special to be here.” He introduced Layne Ragsdale who is a part of the Race Relations Task Force who assisted Scarbrough in a medal presentation to the Harrison150 Board of Directors.
“We’ve been partners with the City of Harrison for almost 20 years. Today we gather to mark a significant milestone,” Scarbrough said. “Anniversaries invite us to celebrate 150 years of the City of Harrison, 150 years of community life in the Arkansas Ozarks, families building homes, neighbors building trust, generations shaping a place they believed were worth calling home."
"Anniversaries invite celebrations, but they also invite reflection. They ask us, not only where we have been, but who we have become, and who we are called to be next. Your story is inseparable from this land, and this region, from the hills that surround us, and the beautiful Buffalo River that flows nearby. For generations the Buffalo River has carved its way through stone, not by force, but by persistence. It reminds us that the real, lasting changes, come not all at once, but are through steady, intentional movement and shaped over time.”
Scarbrough continued, “Dr. King taught us to believe persistently that people can grow communities. People can change and justice takes root when truth is faced and love leads the way. Like our nation, the history of Harrison includes moments of progress and moments of pain. To tell the story honestly is not to reject this community, it is to take responsibility for it. Reconciliation is not built on forgetting the past but confronting the past with courage, humility and hope. Almost sixteen years ago, I started working with Harrison. When I came here this city had challenges — all cities do. But I discovered one thing. Harrison has good people.”
“We honor the past by learning from it. We honor the present by doing the work before us. We honor the future by committing ourselves again and again to the beloved community. I’m proud to say, Harrison, Arkansas is a place where every person is seen, valued and treated as sacred. I’m proud to be part of today’s history.”