PCCEO’s Shwari Chengo program, which includes the “Men of Valor” component, is hosting a bus tour for Manual Middle High School students to various Peoria locations of African-American businesses, history & influence.

This tour includes a breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at the PCCEO Board Training Room, 711 W. McBean. Many local African-American leaders have been invited to participate.

Places included in the tour are African American Hall of Fame Museum; Clarence Faucett Field Baseball Park; Romeo B. Garrett Cultural Center; Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center; Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church; Federal & County Courthouse, where African-American judges preside; Underground Railroad Sculpture at Civic Center; Optik Boutique Attorney Floyd Dailey; Caterpillar Company Vice-President Bozeman Hick’ry Stick Restaurant.

Guests invited to the breakfast include: State Representative Jehan Gordon; City Councilmen Clyde Gulley and Eric Turner; County Board Members: Bonnie Hester, Lynn Pearson, Racheal Parker, William Watkins, Junior; School Board Members Linda Butler, Martha Ross, Lynn Costic; Dist. 150 Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan; Park Trustees: Jackie Petty and Robert Johnson. Laraine Bryson; Joanne Thomas; Donald Jackson, Bashir Ali; Mary McDade, Glen Collier, Al Purham.

Media opportunities for B-roll and interviews are suggested between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. The tour participants will board the bus at 10:00 a.m.

The Shwari Chengo program is funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. It provides counseling, mentoring, and conflict-resolution to students in the Manual Middle High School area.