Ninth Annual Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
On October 5, 2017, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) along with sponsors Wright State University, Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. and PNC Bank, will host the Ninth Annual Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The program will consist of a formal ceremony honoring men and women who have made significant contributions to the progress of civil rights and equal justice in the State of Ohio. Leslie H. Wexner, President and CEO of L Brands Incorporated will present the keynote address and Mike Jackson, news anchor at WCMH-Channel 4 TV will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
The 2017 Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame honorees are:
Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert H. Jones (Ret.) (Westerville) Public Servant and Community Leader
Moses Fleetwood Walker (Steubenville 1857-1924) First African American to play professional baseball and a trailblazer in sports history
Chief Lawrence Harper (Mansfield 1926-2016) Served his community for over 54 years as a police officer and chief, mentor and advocate for minority pay equality
The Marching Mothers and Children of the 1954 Hillsboro Fight for Integration (Hillsboro) Trailblazing mothers who marched with their children every day for two years to enroll their children in the all-white public school. Their perseverance led them all the way to the US Supreme Court
The Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame seeks to acknowledge the citizens who left their mark in the State of Ohio through tireless efforts in the furtherance of civil rights, equality, and justice in their communities. The honor bestowed on this select group of civil rights heroes will be officially recorded in Ohio’s history. OCRC incorporates the important message of this historic event into its education and outreach program.
Chairman Leonard Hubert of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission said, “It is an honor to celebrate these extraordinary individuals who have done so much to serve and inspire all Ohioans in their pursuit of civil rights. We look forward to adding their names to the list of luminaries who make up the Civil Rights Hall of Fame.”
This year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on October 5, 2017 and is sponsored by PNC Bank, Honda of America, and Wright State University. For more details, visit the Ohio Civil Rights Commission website.
Please RSVP with Sandra Aukeman 614-644-1331 or
sanda.aukeman@civ.ohio.gov
