The National Park Service Approves Joseph Carter Corbin Gravesite a National Monument

The National Parks Service approves Joseph Carter Corbin Gravesite a National Monument Thanks to the work of Dr. Gladys Turner-Finney for locating the gravesite, writing a biography and, once again, bringing the legacy of the late Joseph Carter Corbin to the forefront of our minds. The National Parks Service approved the Joseph Carter Corbin gravesite a National Historic Site on April 17, 2023. This May 1, 2024 the historic Plaque will be unveiled at Forest Home Cemetery just outside of Chicago, Illinois. All are welcomed. Dr. Turner-Finney was able to obtain this exceptional honor, not usually given to gravesites, because of the fury of activity around her research and the promotion of famous individuals and groups found in the Forest Home Cemetery by the Forest Park Historical Society. Joseph Carter Corbin, born in Chillicothe, Ohio, was elected the first African--American Superintendent of Instruction in the State of Arkansas during reconstruction. He is the father of higher education for African-Americans in Arkansas. He is the founder and first president of Pine Bluff Branch Normal College for the formerly enslaved (now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff). During this Black History Month, let us celebrate the legacy and memory of Professor Joseph Carter Corbin. His dedication to educating ALL students in Arkansas and laying the foundation for higher education that has made an ever-expanding positive impact on that state and this nation!