Phyllis Hammonds and Helena’s Walnut Black Business District

Walnut Street Remembered: Stories from Helena’s Historic Black Business District

Step into the story of Walnut Street, once the thriving heart of Black entrepreneurship, culture, and community life in Helena, Arkansas.

Led by community historian Phyllis Y. Hammonds, founder of West Side Community Hub, Inc., this activation brings to life the legacy of Walnut Street from the early 1900s through the 1970s. Visitors will explore historic photographs, hear stories of the businesses and visionaries who shaped the district, and learn about Eliza Ross Miller, the pioneering entrepreneur who became the first Black woman in Arkansas to own and operate a movie theater.

Adding a living layer of memory to the experience, original Walnut Swingers George Flowers and Emmanuel Armstrong will share personal stories and reflections from their experiences growing up in and around this vibrant cultural corridor.

Part history lesson, part community conversation, and part family reunion, Walnut Street Remembered honors the people and places that helped define Black life in the Arkansas Delta while ensuring their stories continue to inspire future generations.