Commission on Human Rights
Over 400 have signed up for largest public civil and human rights conference in KY history

Over 400 people have registered so far for the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights 50th Anniversary Civil and Human Rights Conference. The conference starts this Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, and runs through Friday, Oct. 15.

People may still register by going online at www.kchr.ky.gov, the commission's website. The deadline for online registration is tonight at 11:59 p.m. If you do not have access to the Internet, call the commission at 502-595-4024 or 1-800-292-5566 before 4:30 p.m. today.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the workshops and other sessions that will be held throughout the conference without registering, but registration is necessary in order to attend the luncheon events on Thursday and Friday. Registration is $25 for each luncheon to cover the cost of the meals. 

The luncheon on Thursday, which will honor the late Galen Martin, first executive director of the state human rights commission, will feature Kweise Mfume as the key speaker. Mfume is the well-known former NAACP executive director.

Friday's luncheon will feature Wade Henderson, executive director of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. The luncheon will honor the two late governors and civil rights pioneers Bert Combs and Edward Breathitt.  The luncheon will include the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame 2010 inductions. This year, 31 people who have made acievements in several areas of human rights will be inducted.

Registration is necessary for those luncheon events due to meal planning and preparation.

The other events are free and do not require registration. These include workshops and sessions on a number of topics related to civil and human rights throughout Thursday and Friday. The Information Exchange Center will feature a number of exhibits. There will be a bookfair with author signings. There will be an exhibit of wax figures from the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. The commission will unveil two new posters in the Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians featuring Oliver Lewis, a Kentucky African American who won the very first Derby, and William Ray, a Kentuckian who became one of the first African Americans to achieve notoriety as an international Opera singer.

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is the state government agency that enforces the Kentucky Civil Rights Act and federal laws, all of which prohibit discrimination.

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