The new director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Institute on Race and Ethnicity is a history professor well-versed on the civil-rights movement.
UALR announced Friday the appointment of John Kirk, the George W. Donaghey distinguished professor of history and the department's chairman, as director of the institute.
A native of the United Kingdom, Kirk's research and writings focus on the civil-rights movement in the U.S., with a particular emphasis on the South and Arkansas.
Kirk, 45, joined the UALR faculty in summer 2010, and he has been a member of the Chancellor's Committee on Race and Ethnicity since he arrived on campus. He also has been involved with the institute since its inception in fall 2011.
"It's a great honor to do the job," Kirk said. "It speaks to my own commitment in personal terms and professional terms dealing with issues of race and ethnicity, and, of course, I've been doing that as chair of the history department for the past five years. But this gives me a much broader scope to really chart out beyond my own discipline and reach out to the community."
The institute seeks "racial and ethnic justice in Arkansas by remembering and understanding the past, informing and engaging the present, and shaping and defining the future," according to its mission statement.
Born in Rochdale, England, Kirk earned an undergraduate degree in American studies from the University of Nottingham and a doctorate in American history from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He previously taught at the University of Wales, Lampeter and the Royal Holloway, University of London before coming to UALR.
He is the author of eight books, including Race and Ethnicity in Arkansas: New Perspectives and Beyond Little Rock: The Origins and Legacies of the Central High Crisis. His work also has appeared in numerous journals and history magazines. He recently partnered with the BBC on a website about Martin Luther King Jr.
"I think there's an ongoing fascination with African-American history and culture in the United Kingdom," Kirk said.
UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson said in a news release that Kirk's background and knowledge of civil-rights topics made him an ideal fit for the role.
"It is a rare opportunity to work with someone who grew up in Great Britain but whose knowledge of Arkansas civil rights history is probably greater than anyone else's in Arkansas or the United States," Anderson said.
"Kirk is a well-known resource in our community for his expertise on the many ways race has shaped our city and state. I am confident that under his leadership the UALR Institute on Race and Ethnicity will continue to grow in influence and will help shape a better future for the people of Arkansas."
Kirk replaces Michael Twyman, who resigned last month for a position at the Indiana Black Expo organization. Kirk's salary will be $138,155.
Kirk will remain as the George W. Donaghey distinguished professor of history at UALR but will step down as chairman of the history department.
He said he will continue recording his Arkansas Moments segments, which explore the history of the civil-rights movement in Arkansas, on Little Rock public radio station KUAR.
Metro on 08/15/2015