The Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center is named for and dedicated to Valeska Surrette Hinton, a prominent African American community activist, who at the time of her death in 1991 was eulogized as "the mother of the Peoria civil rights movement."

Mrs. Hinton was a woman who was not afraid to speak out about the needs of our children and their parents and truly believed that the education of young children would result in immeasurable benefits throughout their lives.

Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center represents the embodiment of her life's work.

She was born March 23, 1918, in Paris Tennessee and married Robert P. Hinton on July 28, 1948, in Peoria Illinois. During her lifetime, Mrs. Hinton counseled and tutored black soldiers during World War II and founded the first United Service Organization (USO) for blacks at Camp Tyson in Paris, Tennessee. She worked for the USO in Alexandria, Virginia, until 1947. Later she worked for Carver Community Center in Peoria where she was director of the girls' and women's program, girls' basketball team, college/career club, and the women's bridge club.

Aptly dubbed "the mother of Peoria's civil rights movement, she served as the first executive director of Peoria's Human Relations Commission from 1963-68. In this role she was instrumental in bringing many of the community's most influential people together to collaborate on women's rights and civil rights issues. As a result of her efforts many doors of opportunity were opened to women and minorities in our community.

In 1968, Mrs. Hinton left Peoria to work with the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She was a program specialist for the Commission for fourteen years before retiring in 1983.

Her list of contributions, accomplishments and awards were numerous and include receiving:

• The Ralph Bunch Award

• The Woman of the Year Award from the Illinois Caucus of Minority Women

• The Liza Pindell Award for Community Service, the Urban League Award

• The Illinois Minority Women's Service Award

In 1990, Mrs. Hinton was inducted into the Afro-American Hall of Fame. Annually, the YWCA recognizes a minority advocate in the community in Mrs. Hinton's name.

Valeska Hinton died at the age of 73 on September 22, 1991.

Her intellect, her courage, and her insights live on in the lives of the countless individuals whom she influenced. Her passionate advocacy for children continues through our work.