INDIANAPOLIS (February 15, 2005) ? Governor Mitch Daniels will host participants from around the state during a lunchtime Black History Month observance Friday (Feb. 18) in the Indiana State House. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the north rotunda and is free and open to the public.

The governor will welcome visitors to the event, which will include a number of speakers and performers, including the Asante Children?s Theatre of Indianapolis, which will perform vocal selections.

Others scheduled to participate during the event are:

• Troy P. Thomas of Gary, ?I Have a Dream? re-enactment
• Pastor Tommy Glenn of Indianapolis, ?Why Celebrate Black History?
• Debra Asante of Indianapolis, storytelling
• Jeannie Regan-Dinius of the State Historical Bureau, the history of the underground railroad in Indiana
• Ike Randolph, Indianapolis city-county council member, ?History of Blacks in Indiana?
• Keisha Stovall of the Indiana Department of Revenue, musical selection
• The Reverend Rabon L. Turner of Evansville, ?Black History-Our Voice for the Future?
• The Reverend Michael Latham of Fort Wayne, ?The Challenge?

Larry Graham of the Department of Family and Social Services Agency will deliver the opening prayer. In addition to the Underground Railroad presentation, the Indiana Freedom Trails exhibit will be on display.