The King Kennedy Dinner was established in 2005 to honor and recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and our great state. In 2019 the program format was updated and the name changed to the King Kennedy Awards.

The occasion also serves as our primary fundraising effort to gather the necessary resources to operate as a statewide organization. A portion of the proceeds from the event supports scholarships for Arkansas students pursuing careers in public service at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Arkansas.

Nominate a deserving Arkansan before January 11, 2026! For more details on the awards, check here.

2025 Awardees

Irma Hunter Brown Women’s Leadership Award

Jill Floyd, Arkansas State Director, USDA Rural Development, Little Rock, AR

Thomas E. Patterson Educational Award

Claudine James, National Board-Certified Teacher and social media content creator , Malvern, AR

Annie McDaniel Abrams Community Service Award

Alpha Gamma Theta Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., North Pulaski County, AR

Dr. Jerry Jewel Government Leadership Award

Waymond Brown, Judge, Arkansas Court of Appeals, Pine Bluff, AR

Calvin King Economic Development Award

Cory Anderson, Chief Innovation Officer, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Little Rock, AR

President’s Award

Faith Seahorn, Owner, FS Event Services LLC, Bryant, AR

Zach Bledsoe, Chair, Democratic Party of Clark County, Arkadelphia, AR

Barry Jefferson, President, Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, Jacksonville, AR

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lottie Holt Shackelford, Chair, Democratic National Committee Women’s Caucus, Little Rock, AR

Click here for a list of past King Kennedy honorees.

Joyce Elliot Scholarship

The King Kennedy Awards also awards a scholarship to a deserving college student who is committed to public service and attends one of the four Arkansas HBCUs including Arkansas Baptist College, Philander Smith College, Shorter College, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Today the scholarship is named after former state senator Joyce Elliott for her 30 years of dedication as an educator and 22 years as a legislator. 

• Applicants must be attending an Arkansas HBCU

• Be an Arkansas resident with a minimum of a 2.5 GPA

• Completed a total 24 credit hours toward undergraduate degree

• Anticipated degree must be in a subject that will lead to a career in public service

• Ideal candidate must demonstrate an interest in public service and a financial need

Click here to apply.