IL HR1476

Mourns the death of James K. Polk of Peoria, who passed away on November 8, 2016.

Polk served as a Peoria County Board member (1972-1976, 1982-1985) and was the first African American elected to the Peoria City Council for the First District (1985-1993).

Served on the Illinois Central College Board of Trustees beginning in 1997 with eight years in leadership positions, and on the Greater Peoria Mass Transit-City Link Board from 2007 until recently.

Helped elect Carol Moseley Braun as the first Black female U.S. Senator, served as a consultant to Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, and was twice elected to the National Democratic Convention.

Received multiple awards including the 2015 Tom Connor Service Award, 2006 Dr. Martin Luther King Commemorative Service Leadership Award, and was inducted into the African American Hall of Fame in 2014.