Commission on Human Rights
Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame to induct new members in October

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights will announce new inductees to the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame at a special ceremony on Friday, Oct. 15, from noon to 2 p.m. The public is invited. The cost is $25 to cover the cost of a luncheon that will precede the inductions. The ceremony will take place at the Louisville International Convention Center during the Kentucky Human Rights Commission 50^th Anniversary Civil and Human Rights Conference. People may attend only the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame ceremony and accompanying luncheon, or those who are interested may also want to participate in the entire exciting conference, which is being held from Wednesday Oct. 13 to Friday, Oct. 15.

The Combs-Breathitt Luncheon to take place at the opening of the inductions ceremony will honor the late Kentucky governors Bert Combs and Edward Breathitt, both of whom pushed for civil rights laws to end segregation. Combs created the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights in 1960. Breathitt signed into law in 1966 the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, which makes discrimination illegal and the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights enforces. Both men are past inductees of the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, will speak at the luncheon.

Following the meal, KET show hosts Renee Shaw and Bill Goodman will officiate at the inductions ceremony. This year, people from all over the state nominated 52 candidates to the Hall of Fame. Thirty-one of the nominees have been chosen as inductees and will be announced at the ceremony.

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights produced the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2000 to celebrate the commission’s 40^th anniversary and to recognize heroic individuals in the state who have fought and sacrificed to accomplish civil and human rights for all people. Nominees may be from present or past eras, may be living or deceased, and they shall have lived as role models for equality and justice.

An independent, volunteer panel of judges chose the 31 inductees for 2010. The commission has held inductions on a periodic basis since 2000.

To reserve a seat for the Combs-Breathitt Luncheon and the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame or to sign up for the complete conference, visit the commission website at www.kchr.ky.gov to register or view the conference schedule and its session descriptions. For more information, call commission official Mary Ann Taylor at 502-595-4024 or 1-800-292-5566.

Sponsors of the conference include General Electric, Humana, Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Kentucky Housing Corporation, Metropolitan Sewer District, PNC Bank, Publisher's Press, UPS, YUM! Brands, Bellarmine University, and University of Kentucky.

-30-