Community leaders from the City, State and Federal level were on hand at First United Methodist Church in Kewanee on Sunday for the Community Black History Extravaganza… 

 

The combined choir of both Kewanee and Wethersfield gave a pair of stirring performances during the event, among several musical moments of celebration that also included a reimagined take on "Jesus Loves the Little Children," with a child chorus guided by organizer Etta La Flora, and the choir from Kewanee's Second Baptist Church performed prior to the final speech of the day by guest speaker Reverend Lawrence Anderson… 

 

Throughout the afternoon there were stirring calls to remember the history of Black History month from Henry County Board Chairman Marshall Jones… 

 

That same message was echoed by Representative Cheri Bustos who made last minute plans to attend and speak to the crowd, first honoring Congressional colleagues who were part of the Civil Rights movement, including House Minority Whip Jim Clyburn and ailing Representative John Lewis, both of whom have connections to Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, and then talking about other events in history that make February an apt month to be celebrated as Black History Month… 

 

Representative Bustos closed her speech by calling for the election of those who will unite and not divide… 

 

State Representative Dan Swanson took time during his speech to discuss a tradition at the Illinois Statehouse during Black History Month to honor an African American hero or heroes, during the open of the daily session… 

 

Universally, everyone showered praise on the organizers of the Community Black History Extravaganza including Etta La Flora, Anita Blanks, Thelma McCloud Shaw, William Jordan and Marshall Jones.