Fred Allen (born June 14, 1953)[1] is a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives and a cancer survivor, known for appearing in a commercial campaign for Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Fred Allen | |
|---|---|
| Arkansas House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 2006 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 14, 1953 Little Rock, Arkansas, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University |
Biography
editAllen played basketball as the first Black full-time starter and first regular sophomore starter during his time at Little Rock Central High School. Upon graduation, he was surprised to find that he had no scholarship offers to play basketball in college. Ten years later, he discovered that recruitment letters had unknowingly been withheld from him in a time when NCAA prohibited schools from contacting recruits directly. He had received offers from Oral Roberts University, University of Missouri, University of Virginia, Pepperdine University, Louisiana State University, and Rice University.[2]
Allen received a degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University and served as an administrative aide in the office of U.S. Senator David Pryor. Allen was first elected to the state legislature in 2006, representing District 33, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and drew the best number for assigned seniority among new members.[3] In 2011, Allen filed a bill to develop an insurance exchange in the state, but pulled it after a compromise bill was reached with Republicans.[4] In 2017, Allen filed a bill in the Arkansas House to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Hoyt, Rolly (February 28, 2017). "Bill to raise age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old proposed in Ark. House". THV11.
- ^ Gladstone, Mitchell (2013-04-10). "Basketball career shaped Little Rock's Fred Allen". Arkansas Online. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ Roy Ragland, "Committee Assignments Now In Place", The Madison County Record (November 16, 2006), p. 4.
- ^ "Insurance compromise reached", Baxter Bulletin (April 1, 2011), p. 1.
External links
edit- Cancer Treatment Centers of America profile of Fred Allen
- Arkansas House of Representatives profile of Fred Allen
