July 12, 2022- Decatur residents gathered at the Inc. Spot to celebrate the life and legacy of former Macon County Sheriff Roger Walker, with an unveiling of a mural of the first African American sheriff elected in the state of Illinois.
Sheriff Walker was elected as Macon County Sheriff in 1998, and served until 2003. Walker worked his way up from patrol deputy to sergeant, to lieutenant, and then finally to sheriff. During his time of service as sheriff, he used his position to implement youth-at-risk initiatives and a safe haven program to provide free door upgrades and window locks to low income, elderly residents, as well as disabled residents. Sheriff Walker was inducted into the Decatur Hall of Fame in 2016.
To honor the legacy of Sheriff Walker, members of the Walker family, state legislators, and local law enforcement spoke at the event.
Current Macon County Sheriff, Jim Root, who served with Sheriff Walker spoke on Sheriff Walker’s focus on being involved in the community, and how that community involvement continues, today.
“He always wanted the Sheriff’s office and members of the Sheriff’s office to be involved in the community,” Sheriff Root said. “He started that with his legacy and with him becoming sheriff, and from that day forward we are to this day involved in the community on a regular basis”
Senator Doris Turner, representing the 48th district, was the keynote speaker, and spoke on Sheriff Walker’s approach to educate our community.
“He used law enforcement as an opportunity not to be punitive, not to destroy individuals, not to destroy families, but he used it as an opportunity as a teaching moment,” Senator Turner said. “We know we have to protect our community, and we know law enforcement plays a role in doing that. But as my father used to say, there is a right way and a wrong way, and I will tell you Roger Walker took the right approach to do that. Which really created an opportunity for the growth we saw in the community that we saw under his leadership, while he was in the Sheriff’s office.”
The ceremony also included local food vendors, a rendition of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing, sung by Decatur resident Jayjuan Boatman, and an interpretive dance by members of Youth For Positive Direction. In addition, Sue Scherer, state representative for the 96th district, presented the Walker family with an official resolution from the Illinois House of Representatives.
The mural, which was painted by artist Will Harris, is located on the front of the Inc. Spot building, next to the the African-American Cultural & Genealogical Society of IL Museum on West Eldorado Street.
Reverend Thomas Walker, Sheriff Walker’s brother thanked the city of Decatur for electing Sheriff Walker, thus making history.
“I am excited to see what is happening in the city of Decatur,” Reverend Walker said. “First, I want to thank the city of Decatur, and Macon County for electing my brother as the first African American sheriff. If it had not been for you coming together and embracing the prompt to run for sheriff of Macon County, this would not even be this day that we are serving here, today. So, I thank you, and you have truly been good to our family. You have embraced us. You have created much stability for the Walker family.”
The photo gallery is on NowDecatur’s Facebook page.
