PAPER TRAILS: Arkansan chimed in at museum; local actor in 'Magnificent Seven'; Justin Moore's latest No. 1

Ruth Odom Bonner, with the help of the Obamas and others, rings the bell opening the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Ruth Odom Bonner, with the help of the Obamas and others, rings the bell opening the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

RESOUNDING MOMENT: An Arkansan played a central role when President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, helped inaugurate the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Sept. 24 in Washington, D.C.

Ruth Odom Bonner, 99, who now resides in an assisted-living facility in Washington, had at least three generations of relatives with her on the National Mall as she rang the bell from the historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, Va., to signal the official opening of the museum. The church is believed to be the first in this country formed entirely by a black congregation.

Bonner's father, Elijah Odom, was born a slave in Mississippi, Obama told the crowd of 7,000. After escaping slavery as a young child, he became a doctor. He owned a store and pharmacy in Biscoe (also known as Fredonia and located in Prairie County near Des Arc and DeValls Bluff) where he was the only black doctor there and served the entire black community, Bonner's granddaughter, Rukiya Odom, told The Washington Post the morning after the ceremony.

Bonner's great-nephew, Ron Ingram of Little Rock, tells Paper Trails that after marrying, his aunt moved north to Cleveland.

MAGNIFICENT ROLE: Local actor Ed Lowry, 45, of Little Rock, has a role in the remake of the Magnificent Seven, which stars Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington and opened last weekend.

The audition notice for the film, shot near St. Francisville, La., in 2015, called for a man of short stature capable of an Irish brogue.

"I learned my two lines, set up my camera and recorded my audition," Lowry, 5-foot-2, recounted in an email, adding that he then uploaded his audition tape.

"A few weeks later my agent calls to 'check my availability,'" writes the actor who also works in independent video production, as a creative consultant, and in business development for Harco Constructors. "Two days later, he calls again. I got the part."

"My character is the Irish stable master who appears early in the film in Amador City," he tells Paper Trails. "Chris Pratt and I come to a standoff over a horse until Denzel Washington enters and soothes things over."

Lowry also appears in a credited role in Greater as Snide Reporter #2.

MORE ON MOORE: Poyen native country singer Justin Moore, who's building a house in Grant County, recently landed his sixth No. 1 hit with his single "You Look Like I Need a Drink." He hits the road in January for American Made, his third headlining tour, sharing top billing with Lee Brice.

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