The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is in Bowling Green this week to announce the latest inductees into the state’s Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
The Commission will unveil which of the 35 nominees will receive the honor at a ceremony Thursday afternoon at WKU’s Carroll Knicely Conference Center. The executive director of the state’s Human Rights Commission, John Johnson, says those nominated for the Hall of Fame have made contributions to a wide variety of causes throughout the commonwealth.
“They have a wide span of interests and involvement, whether it’s dealing with people with disabilities, or dealing with legislative issues, or working to improve the quality of life of people based on sexual orientation.”
Among the nominees are:
- Dr. Alan Anderson, a retired WKU Philosophy and Religion professor who worked with Martin Luther King, Junior, in efforts to desegregate parts of Georgia
- Samuel Byrd, who has been a long-time leader with the Owensboro N.A.A.C.P
- Linda McCray, the former longtime executive-director of the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission
Before the Hall of Fame ceremony, the Commission will rule on discrimination complaints submitted by Kentucky residents. According to Johnson, allegations of racial discrimination make up most of the complaints forwarded to this group, though he says complaints of another kind are on the rise.
“We have an increased number of complaints based on disability now, and that’s been a rising kind of trend over the last few years.”
The Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Knicely Center. The event is open to the public, but reservations are required by contacting Cynthia Fox of the Kentucky Human Rights Commission at (502) 566-9963, or at Cynthia.fox@ky.gov.
