Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission

The Office of Minority Affairs houses the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission. Established in 1985 by Executive Order, today the Equal Opportunity Division provides administrative support to the commission. The liaison to the commission is Bobbi Bell.

This commission is a statewide advocate of Dr. King's principles of nonviolence and annually honors Ohio's citizens who work to promote diversity and eliminate discrimination through nonviolent methods. Each year, the Commission presents awards to Ohioans to celebrate the life of Dr. King, whose teachings encourage nonviolent actions to secure equal rights for all Americans. The commemorative celebration was held Jan. 15, 2009. 

The commission members include: Dr. Stacey Brinkley (Athens), Rabbi Harold Berman (Columbus), Dr. Fannie Brown (Akron), Malcolm Costa (Akron), David Jehnsen (Galena), Reverend Joel L. King, Jr. (Gahanna), Rafael Rodriguez (Canton) and Tei Street (Columbus).

To contact the MLK Commission, send e-mail to bobbi.bell@das.state.oh.us.