Bishop Brown continued advocating for equal rights throughout his life. He led a group of 48 ministers in a protest at the Arkansas State Capitol in 1965. They were there to petition Governor Faubus to re-open the Capitol cafeteria after…
Acclaimed Author (Brown-4)
Bishop Brown was an acclaimed author. He wrote Bigger Than Little Rock, a book chronicling the Little Rock Central High School’s desegregation crisis and discussing integration in 1958. It was a national success and garnered Bishop Brown positive feedback and…
A Day of Prayer (Brown-3)
Bishop Brown believed healing was needed to reduce tensions in Little Rock during the desegregation crisis. He understood that healing came through prayer and that it was the obligation of the clergy of all religious denominations to provide leadership to…
Little Rock Central High School Desegregation Crisis (Brown-2)
Bishop Brown’s belief and adherence to the principles of equality were guiding forces throughout his life. His letters, sermons, writings, and actions reflect his trust in those principles. These guiding forces served Brown well when he was thrust into the…
Calming Presence in the Middle of a Storm (Brown-1)
Bishop Robert Raymond Brown led a “ministry of reconciliation” as a key figure in Little Rock Central High School’s desegregation crisis in 1957.
Successful Black Businessman (Bond-4)
Bond was a shrewd businessman and branched out from farming to retail. Bond initially bought a store with his stepfather and another man, but the store closed after several months. He eventually purchased the Madison Mercantile Company on his own…
Bond Impresses Booker T. Washington (Bond-3)
Scott Bond was urged by Dr. Booker T. Washington, founder of the National Negro Business League (NNBL), to attend the Farmer’s Conference in Tuskegee, Alabama. Bond declined, until a letter urging Bond to attend arrived. One of Bond’s sons said…
Well-Respected Amongst All (Bond-2)
Scott Bond was a well-respected member of the community, among blacks and whites, at a time when many blacks were struggling to free themselves of the ghostly shackles left by the Civil War. Scott Bond continued expanding his acreage until…
Scott Bond: Former Slave, Shrewd Businessman(Bond-1)
At a time in Arkansas history when blacks were regularly lynched and openly oppressed under the racist tenant farming system former slave Scott Bond became a successful black farmer and businessman in Madison, Arkansas.
Life after Minute Man (Wes Hall 4)
In addition to Minute Man of America, Inc., Hall operated Dixie Equipment Company, Food Service Supply, and Razorback Sign Company. After selling his controlling interests in these businesses in 1981, Hall formed Corporate Finance Associates, a merger and finance company.…
Marketing Strategies (Wes Hall 3)
Hall became known for his creative marketing campaigns and publicity stunts. Minute Man was the first fast food restaurant to give a free glass to customers as part of a Coca Cola promotion in the early 1970s. Additionally, Minute Man…
Groundbreaking Ground Beef (Wes Hall 2)
Minute Man was a forerunner in a number of fast-food concepts. In 1948, the Raytheon Company placed three experimental “RadaRange” microwave ovens in locations across the United States; Hall and partners received one of the three. They pioneered the use…
Wes Hall & Minute Man
Little Rock native Wes Hall founded the iconic fast food chain Minute Man, which at its peak boasted 57 restaurants in Arkansas and seven surrounding states. Minute Man was a pioneer on the fast food landscape, and its legacy is plain to see in food franchises across the country.