Illinois roadway named in honor of state's 1st black sheriff

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) - A stretch of central Illinois highway has been renamed in honor of the state's first African-American sheriff.

The Herald & Review reports signs were recently posted declaring Illinois 48 in Decatur the "Sheriff Roger E. Walker Jr. Memorial Road."

Walker was elected Macon County Sheriff in 1998. He served for 30 years and later spent five years as director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Walker died in 2012 at age 63. The Black Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and Greater Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce pushed to dedicate the highway in his honor. The groups have planned a Nov. 3 celebration near the newly installed signage.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe says "Everybody loved Roger."

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Information from: Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com