In the News

U.S. Rep. French Hill last week congratulated Philander Smith College on its 140th anniversary, and he predicted that many more decades of success will follow.

In a speech Thursday on the House floor, Hill told colleagues that the historically black school in Little Rock is "an early higher education institution built and created by former African-American slaves -- the first such institution west of the Mississippi River."

The Republican from Little Rock praised the school's contributions to the state and the nation, calling it "particularly important to Arkansas' history, economy and higher education community."

With an enrollment of about 760 students, Philander Smith "continues to play an integral role in preparing predominantly minority and low-income students for careers and employment in Arkansas and throughout our country," Hill said.