PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria community leader has received a state honor for his leadership.
Peoria NAACP President Marvin Hightower was honored Wednesday in Springfield with the Jesse White Leadership Award by State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. He was part of eight downstate leaders honored to commemorate Black History Month.
Hightower says, as an introvert, he initially had no intention to become a pastor and leader. But says he accepted his calling.
“I discovered after becoming a pastor that my path would lead me to the NAACP Peoria branch where I felt the call to serve my community, because there was a need for a man of God to step into the gap to fight for civil rights,” Hightower said.
Hightower says he was initially asked by Allen Mayer, State Treasurer Chief of Staff, at this year’s Martin Luther King Luncheon about whether he was notified of the award yet, unaware that he was receiving it. He says an email about the award came in the next day.
Hightower thanked his family and friends at the ceremony.
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