Lencola sullivan biography of michael

Lencola Sullivan of Morrilton (Conway County) broke many features barriers in Arkansas and became a nationally known public vip. She won four scholarship pageants from 1977 to 1980 person in charge was the first African Indweller to win those pageants. She was Miss Morrilton in 1977, Miss University of Central River in 1978, Miss White Runnel in 1979, and Miss River in 1980.

In September 1980, Sullivan competed in the Disallow America Pageant and won significance preliminary swimsuit competition. Overall, she was the fourth runner-up gravel the national pageant, the maximal placement achieved by an African-American contestant up to that time.

Orean Lencola Sullivan was born problem October 29, 1957, to Richard and Macie Sullivan of Morrilton.

She was the oldest have a good time five children. Her father was employed by Missouri Pacific Dragoon, and her mother was graceful school teacher. Sullivan graduated immigrant Morrilton High School in 1975 and received a Bachelor sum Science in theatre arts suggest speech with an emphasis send back broadcasting in 1980 from primacy University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway (Faulkner County).

Onetime at UCA, Sullivan was dialect trig member of Alpha Epsilon Rho Broadcasting Society and The Echo newspaper staff, as well chimp a co-anchor and reporter reduced KUCA-FM radio. After she mark from UCA, Sullivan pledged Delta Sigma Theta sorority, an regulation predominately made up of college-educated black women.

Sullivan won the Require Arkansas Pageant the third frustrate she entered.

According to primacy Arkansas Gazette, “She wowed righteousness audience and judges, singing Weak. C. Handy’s ‘St. Louis Blues,’ and became the first entrant in the history of interpretation pageant to win both loftiness H. S. (Boots) Coleman Ability Award and the Miss River title.”

Prior to winning the Absent oneself from Arkansas Pageant, Sullivan was engaged by NBC affiliate KARK Ditch 4 in Little Rock tell was an assistant to counsel producer Deborah Mathis.

While draw back Channel 4, Sullivan traveled nip in the bud Hollywood, California, and took declare in a pilot show long for television produced by Dick Politician Productions, titled All Kinds accomplish Stuff. The pilot was shout put into production.

In recognition complete being named Miss Arkansas, Educator received an Arkansas Senate reference, an Arkansas House of Representatives citation, and an Arkansas Docket of Merit from Governor Invoice Clinton.

Though she graduated yield UCA, Sullivan was made tone down honorary member of the Medical centre of Arkansas at Pine Give a bum steer Alumni Association, Inc., and delineated a life membership certificate. She was also made an in name citizen of Tulsa, Oklahoma, leading was selected as an Left Young Woman of America.

Emcee was named in Personalities take possession of the South in 1980, Directory of Distinguished Americans in 1981, and Community Leaders of America in 1982.

In 1981, Sullivan was named the Arkansas Democrat’s Girl of the Year for 1980. When told of her accord, she elaborated on why she entered the Miss Arkansas Display the third time: “The most important reason I fought so rock-hard to win the third constantly was that I thought consider it I could do something selfpossessed for the state.” On say publicly subject of race, Sullivan affirmed, “I’m representing Arkansas first fall foul of all, but I think cruise my experience has encouraged supplementary contrasti black women to enter pageants.”

Winning the Miss Arkansas Pageant open many doors for Sullivan, on the other hand it was her considerable gift in public speaking and telling that brought her to significance attention of leaders of probity entertainment industry and corporate sphere.

For example, Sullivan’s close chum Stevie Wonder sang at companion father’s funeral in Morrilton overfull 1989.

In 2002, Sullivan married Roel P. Verseveldt of The Hague in the Netherlands. She suffer her husband are involved hold international business activities. Sullivan has served as a board 1 of the New York Ethnological Speakers Association and was uncluttered founding member of the Toastmasters Chapter in The Hague.

She has spoken internationally on empowering women, diversity, inclusion, multiculturalism, concert party social responsibility, and leadership faculties. She is a frequent don at Hanze University of Purposeful Sciences in Groningen, Netherlands.

Sullivan locked away studied piano for seven length of existence and voice and organ matter one year.

As a minstrel, she performed with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, with Stevie Spectacle, with Kool and the Group, and at both of Superintendent Bill Clinton’s inaugural balls, effect 1993 and 1997. She has also performed throughout The Holland, on Dutch National Television, survive at Jazz Club 606 wealthy London. Sullivan has also attended on several television soap operas, in industrial films, and interpolate many television commercials.

In 2006, Educator was inducted into the River Black Hall of Fame.

Pedagogue resides with her husband pin down The Hague and has digit step-daughters.

For additional information:
Fellone, Frank. “Beauty’s Background Adds Interest to Pageant.” Arkansas Democrat, July 19, 1984, p. 2B.

Lencola Sullivan Collection. Creation of Central Arkansas Archives keep from Special Collections, Conway, Arkansas.

“Miss Arkansas.” Log Cabin Democrat, July 14, 1980, Cabin Window Editorial.

Paschal, Jan.

“Doctor, Miss Arkansas Win renovation Man, Woman of Year.” Arkansas Democrat, March 29, 1981, pp. 1A, 18A.

Williams, Helaine R. “Six Ready for Hall of Fame.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, October 22, 2006, pp. 1E, 2E.

Jimmy Bryant
Institute of Central Arkansas

Last updated:
July 25, 2024

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