Wright State University is a proud sponsor of the Fourth Annual Ohio Civil Right Hall of Fame Ceremony honoring civil rights heroes at 10 am, October 4 in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.
The formal ceremony is hosted by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) and co-sponsored by The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., and PNC Bank.
The program will honor the following individuals who have made exceptional contributions to civil rights and in Ohio: James G. Jackson, Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr., William L. Mallory, Sr., Richard Maxwell, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Jesse Owens, and the Ohio Tuskegee Airmen.
Commemorative exhibits will be displayed at the ceremony to showcase each honoree’s extraordinary commitment to civil rights. A reception free to the public will be held after the ceremony to give attendees the opportunity to meet the inductees.
WSU was integral to the founding of the hall in 2007 and remains an active sponsor. WSU has nominated individuals for significant accomplishments, including William McCullough, an Ohio Congressman who was key to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. WSU also hosts an annual public hearing by the OCRC, which was established in 1959 to secure justice for those facing discrimination because of race, gender, age, color, disability, or religion.
J. Michael Bernstein, assistant dean at the Raj Soin College of Business at WSU and OCRC committee member has supported the hall from its inception. Recipient of multiple awards and widely recognized for his contributions to civil rights and equality in justice, Dr. Bernstein remains committed to these values. He works to eliminate discrimination through education, believing that the best way to overcome it is through education and highlighting the ability of all people to make the world a better place; simply because “it’s the right thing to do.”
