In the mid-1940s, 10 years before the Civil Rights movement began, oppression and racism were rife across the south. For a group of 12 young black women in Fort Smith, however, the laws of the day did not stop them from making a positive impact in their community.
Because of their efforts, 80 years later, the group is finally receiving long-overdue recognition with a highway sign in their honor.
For Katherine Brown, her sister Ruby, and 10 others, times were hard. During the early part of their lives, society was segregated – socially, politically, and legally – and services and supplies for African Americans were hard to come by. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, the ladies formed a philanthropic group named the Rainbow Girls to raise money for needs in the black community.
Upon hearing of the shortage of supplies – such as gowns, blankets, bedding, and linens – for the Twin City Colored Hospital, the ladies responded. Located at 1717 Midland Blvd., in Fort Smith, the hospital was the only medical facility in the area that would serve African Americans.
“They had meager means, and they (Rainbow Girls) were able to multiply it,” Nichelle Christian, Brown’s granddaughter, said. “They had faith, and they persevered through what they were able to do.”
A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT
While Christian is unaware of how much money the group raised, the ladies’ proudest achievement was raising funds to purchase a blue neon sign for the top of the hospital, so visitors would know where to go at night.
“It was so dark down there on Midland Boulevard,” Christian said. “People were coming from across the border from Oklahoma who needed care. There were people in Van Buren, the surrounding cities, but people that were not familiar such as coming across that Oklahoma border, they were able to see that neon sign and locate that hospital in the darkest of nights.”
HISTORY ALMOST LOST
The Rainbow Girls’ history was almost lost had Christian not spotted an old photograph of the ladies while visiting Brown at her home.
“They were all dressed up,” Christian said. “They looked absolutely beautiful.”
When Christian asked Brown about the photo, that’s when the Rainbow Girls’ story was shared.
“The name came from how they looked when they were pictured together in elegance,” Christian said.
Brown not only had been one of the original members of the group, but she also had served as president. Amazed at the story that was almost lost with time, Christian, who grew up around her grandmother, ponders why her grandmother never openly shared information about the group’s efforts.
“It just wasn’t something that they talked about,” she said. “They saw the need there, and they just collaborated together to face whatever needs there were – whether it be at the hospital, whether it be at the school, or whether it be in their churches. These women were the backbone of the black community.”
Christian said she thinks the painful history of the times was another reason.
“For her to tell me as her granddaughter what they were able to accomplish, she would also have to share the pain or maybe think about the pain, internalize it – maybe not share it – but relive that part as well,” she said. “That generation just didn’t talk about it. They kept things close in their hearts.”
For Brown, who was born March 14, 1915, life had always been hard. The daughter of a coal miner who was raised in Huntington, Ark., she later married. By the time Brown was in her mid-40s, however, she faced the loss of her husband, Leroy, because of cancer. When Christian asked Brown how she got through it, Brown simply told her that she just had to because she had been taught to be strong.
“I would describe her as a very strong, courageous, and resilient woman. Very wise,” Christian said. “She had so much wisdom, and we still talk about that wisdom of hers today in our family.”
That strength and resiliency became something Brown was known for, having outlived most of her friends and neighbors. Instead of reconciling to live alone, Brown later in life made new, younger friends, Christian said.
RECOGNITION
On Jan. 19, 2010, after Christian helped keep the story alive, the last two living Rainbow Girls — Brown and Isabelle Bass — were honored as recipients of the Civic Engagement Award by the American Democracy Project at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
Five months later, Brown died at the age of 95, with this being the only recognition she received while living.
To keep their story alive, Christian, an 11th-grade English teacher at Northside High School in Fort Smith, partnered with Janis Kearney, the president and founder of the Celebrate! Maya Project to publish a book featuring the contributions of notable Fort Smith historical figures.
Written entirely by students from Northside and Southside High Schools in Fort Smith, and student artwork serving as the cover, “Making an Impact: History Makers of the Arkansas River Valley” was published in May 2025 by Red Engine Press and features a story about Brown and the Rainbow Girls.
“I’m so grateful to the people who live here in Fort Smith who saw such great potential for these young people to take part in preserving our history, which is just a phenomenal feat,” Christian said.
Kearney, an Arkansas author and former diarist for President Bill Clinton, started the organization to educate and advocate for literacy by teaching about Maya Angelou.
“I am personally ecstatic that the Celebrate! Maya Project’s Writing History project played a small role in the revival of the Fort Smith Rainbow Girl history,” Kearney said. “Sebastian County has a very rich history, and I am in awe of the depth of individual and organizational initiatives, such as the Rainbow Girls, that contributed so much to this history. This is the kind of history that, when shared, makes us all proud of our past and our possibilities.
Christian’s granddaughter, Kylie Davis, was only 10-months old when Brown, her great-great-grandmother, was recognized in 2010. Davis, who will be a high school senior this fall, worked on the project.
“Taking part in the Celebrate! Maya History Makers Project was meaningful because I learned more about the legacy and importance of service by the example set by the Rainbow Girls, and I’ve been given the opportunity to keep history alive by hearing and writing about my great-great-grandmother Katherine’s story,” Davis said.
STREET NAMING
To continue their legacy, Christian recently petitioned the Fort Smith Board of Directors to name a one-block section of Midland Boulevard in memory of the Rainbow Girls. Christian’s request will become a reality when a highway sign naming a section of Midland Boulevard between North P and North Q Streets as the Rainbow Girls Boulevard will be unveiled at 5:30 p.m., June 4.
“It means a lot because this street naming not only affects my family but all of these women’s families, their children, their grandchildren, their nieces and nephews, and when they go down that street, they can look at that and say my grandma was part of that,” Christian said.
For city officials, the recognition is deserved.
“As city director, learning of these amazing women, it is encouraging that the city would honor these women in this way,” said Fort Smith Director André Good. “It also instills a greater sense of pride the whole of Fort Smith can share. For some, it’s the sense of belonging to our beloved community. For others, it could be the learning of others’ experiences that lead us toward continually improving and caring for one another.”
“It’s a legacy that will remain after we’re gone and that their hard work and their courage won’t ever be forgotten,” Christian said.
