Illinois Black Hall Of Fame Breaks Ground At Governors State

UNIVERSITY PARK, IL — Governors State University will soon become home to the Illinois Black Hall of Fame, which will feature notable Black or African-American Illinoisans.

At the hall's groundbreaking ceremony Friday, a representative from the university said the permanent fixture should be completed in time for Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the day slavery ended across the entire United States.

Timuel Black, a civil rights activist and teacher who lived in Chicago, became the Hall of Fame's first inductee in 2021. Black died in October.

Other inductees include Bessie Coleman, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Harold Washington. New inductees for 2022 will be announced later in the month, a spokesperson said.

Ceola Barnes, the founder of the Illinois Black Hall of Fame, studied at Governors State University and is currently the president of the African-American Ladies' Legacy Foundation, which helped to found the hall. Rep. Danny K. Davis is also a chairman for the installation.