4:05 am UTC Apr. 14, 2021 PEORIA — Aurthur Perkins moved to the Spring Grove subdivision to prove a point. In 1995, she and her husband were two of the first residents to plunk down $500 to live in the new and unique development, a suburban layout amid an urban cityscape. But Perkins, a longtime educator and lifelong South Peorian, relocated to Spring Grove to make a statement with two audiences: Black people who saw themselves as forever stuck in the same place, as well as white people who thought minorities generally unable to move up in the world. “I wanted to show people that African Americans could have nice places and take care of nice places and enjoy nice places,” said Perkins, 83.