Unveiling the History of the USCT in Arkansas

Legacies & Lunch June 2026

Historian Ronnie Nichols and sculptor Vinnie Bagwell will discuss the history of the U.S. Colored Troops in Arkansas and the new monument erected in CALS Library Square to commemorate their service.

Ronnie Nichols will explore the history of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) in Arkansas and their enduring impact on the state, providing important context for a modern effort to commemorate their service. In 2023, the Central Arkansas Library System launched a project to create a monument honoring the African Americans who served in the United States military during the Civil War. The monument sculptor, Vinnie Bagwell, will discuss the creative process behind the work, including the development of its design and the symbolism reflected in its iconography. 

We are excited to offer a lunch including a sandwich, chips, a cookie, and a drink to in-person attendees in 2026, courtesy of the CALS Foundation. Meals are limited and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. We cannot accommodate dietary restrictions or allergies, and registration does not guarantee lunch will be available. 

This program will be followed by a dedication of the monument in Library Square.

Ronnie A. Nichols is a distinguished historian, author, artist, and cultural preservationist whose work illuminates the Civil War and the decisive contributions of African American soldiers. For more than forty years, he has recovered and interpreted stories of courage, sacrifice, and citizenship, informed by his lineage as a relative of a Black Civil War veteran. Author of Freedom! Lest We Forget, and a consultant on the Academy Award–winning film Glory, Nichols bridges scholarship and public history. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas and a graduate of Central High School, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Nichols has a made a deep-seated impression in the City known as “The Rock,” and its place in history. His leadership in Arkansas—including directing major heritage institutions, curating landmark exhibitions, and advancing preservation initiatives—has earned national recognition and a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Arkansas Historical Association for safeguarding and elevating African American Civil War history.

Vinnie Bagwell is a native New Yorker and has always been an agent for social, educational, and economic growth via the arts in her community. An alumna of Morgan State University, she is an untutored artist and began sculpting in 1993. Bagwell’s public artworks teach, challenge, and inspire by bringing often overlooked histories and identities into the public eye. She is an inductee for 2022-23 Who’s Who in America for sculpture. A representational-figurative artist, Vinnie uses traditional bas-relief techniques as visual narratives to expand her storytelling.  She has won numerous public-art commissions and awards around the United States, including Americans for the Arts inaugural Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize for civic engagement. Bagwell recently installed Arkansas’s Heroes in CALS Library Square, and a dedication of the sculpture will follow this event.

Legacies & Lunch is a hybrid program offering participants the opportunity to attend either in person or virtually via Zoom. To participate in person, join us at Darragh Center, 5th Floor, CALS Main Library (with elevator access). Parking is available in the surface lot or the CALS Parking Deck which you can access from Rock Street. Parking will be validated. To participate virtually, register for the webinar using the button above.

All abilities are welcome. To request ASL interpretation or other accommodations, call 501.918.3069 or email hzbinden@cals.org seven business weekdays before a program. 

This program will be live-streamed to YouTube and the recording will be available immediately following the event.

Legacies & Lunch is a free monthly program of CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies about Arkansas-related topics.

Past Legacies & Lunch Events