Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement

Racial Justice Essay Contest Overview

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in partnership with the Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement is pleased to announce an essay contest open to 9th – 12th grade students attending public high school in Pulaski County, Arkansas where prizes totaling up to $5,000 will be awarded to winning participants. 

Students are asked to examine the history of a topic of racial injustice and to discuss its legacy today. Essays should explore their topic using a specific historical event, explore how injustice persists, and imagine solutions for a future free from racial injustice. Students are encouraged to reflect on how the topic impacts their own lives and communities.

To learn more about participating in this contest, please see the Essay Contest Details. 

Contest Opens on October 7, 2023 

Final Submissions Due: January 8, 2024, 11:59 PM CT

Details about student awards will be shared via email to all participating students after the close of the contest. 

PULASKI COUNTY COMMUNITY REMEMBRANCE PROJECT

This essay contest is part of the community remembrance work of the Pulaski County Community Remembrance Project. EJI has documented at least 500 racial terror lynchings of African Americans in the State of Arkansas between 1865 and 1950, including at least 5 in Pulaski County. 

EJI's broader Community Remembrance Project focuses on memorializing the more than 6,500 Black victims of racial terror lynching killed between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and World War II. Communities across our nation have been profoundly impacted by the legacies of the eras of enslavement, racial terror lynching, and segregation in ways that continue to influence our social, political, and personal practices and institutions. EJI and local communities are working together to help advance a more truthful understanding of this history. We believe that a deeper understanding about our nation’s history of racial injustice is important to addressing contemporary questions of social justice and equality, and each project helps our nation participate more fully in a sequential process of truth and reconciliation.

ESSAY CONTEST NEXT STEPS...

For Students Interested in Participating: We are so glad that you are considering participating in this essay contest! We hope it will be a meaningful experience for you. 

To get started, visit the Essay Contest Details page to explore what you might be interested in writing about in your essay. Students are encouraged to think about their topic, it’s connection to current day issues, and take time to review reliable resources. 

If you would like additional resources on how to prepare your essay, please see Tips for Students.

For Parents, Educators, and Community Groups: We strongly encourage parents, educators, and those who serve students in community organizations to partner with students and lend them support during their essay preparation. Offering assistance with researching, editing or listening to their essay prior to submission to offer feedback are great ways to strengthen students' writing skills and essay focus. For more information on how you and others can support students, please review our Resources for Parents, Schools, and Community Groups.

Local Student Essay Services

The Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement will be hosting several in-person and virtual  workshops for students during the contest entry period. Details are below, and please reach out to the local coordinators at essaycontest@APJMM.org with any questions.


Virtual Workshops, 3:00-5:00 PM on the following dates:


In-Person Workshops, 2:00-3:30 PM on the following dates:


Location:

The Village Place

2718 S. Arch St.

Little Rock, AR 72206