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Black Women Shaping Philanthropy in Arkansas: Part 1

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting Black women whose leadership, advocacy, and community investment helped shape philanthropy in Arkansas.


Long before formal philanthropic institutions existed, Black women across Arkansas were already doing the work of giving. They built schools, organized communities, mentored young leaders, and fought for access to opportunity.


The following women represent a small part of that legacy.


Charlotte Andrews (Lottie) Stephens


Charlotte Andrews (Lottie) Stephens was the first Black teacher hired by the Little Rock public school system and spent roughly seventy years educating children in Arkansas. Born into slavery in 1854, she later attended Oberlin College and returned to Little Rock to dedicate her life to teaching. Her work helped establish educational access for Black students during Reconstruction and beyond, representing one of the earliest examples of community investment and educational philanthropy in the state.


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Daisy Lee Gatson Bates


Daisy Lee Gatson Bates was a civil rights leader, journalist, and president of the Arkansas NAACP who played a large role in the integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957. She mentored and supported the Little Rock Nine through one of the most pivotal moments in American civil rights history. Through her leadership, advocacy, and journalism in the Arkansas State Press, Bates mobilized national attention and resources toward the fight for racial equality in Arkansas.


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Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton


Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton, a native of Little Rock, is a nationally respected philanthropic and education leader whose work continues to influence philanthropic investment across Arkansas today. She served as president of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, where she guided major investments aimed at improving education, economic opportunity, and community development. Hampton’s leadership helped shape modern philanthropic strategies centered on equity and long-term systemic change.


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Raye Jean Jordan Montague


Raye Jean Jordan Montague, born in Little Rock, was an internationally registered professional engineer (RPE) with the U.S. Navy who is credited with the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. Throughout her career she advocated for education and encouraged young people, particularly women and students of color, to pursue careers in science and engineering. Her mentorship and outreach helped expand opportunities for future generations in fields where they were historically underrepresented.


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Part 2 of this series will highlight additional Black women leaders in philanthropy.

 
 
 

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