‘News Clippings about the Commissionhttp://nky. cincinnati, com/article/AB/20100304/NEWS0103/3050372/Gamer-is-Great-Black-Ken... Page 1 of 1 Garner is Great Black Kentuckian By Brenna R. Kelly “ bkelly@nky.com + March 4, 2010 COVINGTON - Margaret Gamer, a slave who Killed her 2-year old daughter rather than see the child become a siave, was honored Thursday as a Great Black Kentuckian, ‘The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights inducted Gamer into the Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians during @ ceremony at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. A poster of Gamer, the 48th Great Black Kentuckian, was unveiled during the ceremony. ‘The gallery is a poster series designed to introduce students, educators and the public to the achievements of some of Kentucky's outstanding black citizens of the past and present. Before the ceremony in Cincinnati, officials placed a wreath at Gamer's historical marker at Sixth and Main streets in Covington. Former Mayor Butch Gallery spoke at the event because he was a Covington commissioner in 1990 when the marker was erected, ‘Gamer was a slave in Boone County who escaped with her family in January 1856. The family and other slaves fled on a large sled that they abandoned along Pike Street in Covington and crossed the frozen Ohio River on foot into Cincinnati As she was about to be recaptured, Gamer killed her daughter, Mary, rather than have the child live in slavery. The fight over whether she should be tried in Cincinnati or be retumed to Kentucky as a fugitive slave, brought national attention to the abolition movement. She was eventually retumed ‘to Kentucky and died two years later. ‘The fight for freedom became the basis for the book by Toni Morrison and the subsequent movie, "Beloved." The Cincinnati Opera Company was commissioned to produce "Margaret Gamer: ‘ANew American Opera," which debuted in three cities in 2005. ‘To nominate someone for the Gallery series, the person must be African American, have made an ‘outstanding or significant contribution to the ‘Commonwealth or world and be born in Kentucky oF live in the Commonwealth. For more Information, go to http://kchr.ky.gov. ‘Adversement SEEHOWIT. eco http://nky. cincinnati. com/fdep/?1268239754477 @]Formtbynami Print Powered By 3/10/2010 |Kentucky should lead on faimess: WinchesterSun.com http://www. winchestersun.com/stories/2010/03/04/col.730106.sto Page 1 of 2 Kentucky should lead on fairness By Michael Aldridge, Craig Carmack, Chris Hartman, Travis Myles and ‘George W. Stinson oven 4 2020 ‘tn January of 3966, with Gov, Edward T. Beestit’s signing ofa ow Dr. Marcin tater King dr called the strongest and most comprehensive (het rights bit possed by 2 southern state," tie Commonwealth of Kemosky became the first state nthe south to adopt 8 vi Rights Ack ‘wih enforeabla repercussions for acs of escrmination. “Two years ater, Kentucky was agin rst in the Sout, this ine in the pastage oa etatewide flr housg lw, whleh cemented our ‘mmonmeaths legbey as Une rations southern chil ght lender. ‘tits core, the purpose ofthe Cuil Rights Act Is to guarantee equeity for everyone. ft ensures all Kentucsians have the came opportunities to {avn e ving, be safe in thelr communities serve ther country end care {or the ones they love. When thare has been a history ofa porticular troops Ick of acess to these fundamentals of the American dreem, the jst and appropriate rexponse has been to adé that group to ‘sting antdgerminetion awe. “Today our state has the opportunity to once agsn stand es the pioneer ftaness and equality among ts southern pers, and we chaliengs ‘Shand every Rentuceon to 8d tel olen to the calor omprehenive cv ights Inthe eommonwesth. (on 38n. 5, proposal fora statewide falness law was introduce to mend ovr state's Cl Rights Act to Ineude "sexual orientation” end ‘Spender lentty” es protected cssineatons. Ths would prohibit