Black History Month

Haygood wrote The Butler: A Witness to History, which was adapted into the award-winning motion picture, THE BUTLER, directed by Lee Daniels and starring, among others, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Fonda and Mariah Carey. Haygood served as an Associate Producer of The Butler 

For his literary output as a civil rights historian, Wil Haygood received the Freedom Summer of 1964 Award from his alma mater, Miami University, in Ohio. The university also awarded him The President’s Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the university. 

In 2022 Wil Haygood received the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation, an international award presented annually to a writer whose work has “produced an enduring body of writing on or connected to peace.”

Wil Haygood, born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, resides in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Gene Christy Thomas Harris spent over 37 years as a professional educator. For twelve of those years, she served as Superintendent of Columbus City Schools. She retired from Columbus Schools in 2013.  She earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Notre Dame and her Master’s degree and PhD in Education from the Ohio State University and Ohio University, respectively.  In addition to Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Harris served as classroom teacher, high school principal, supervisor of principals, assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent, and assistant superintendent for the state of Ohio.  For over 40 years, Dr. Harris has been a disciple at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church where she serves as middle and high school Sunday school teacher, member of the choir, site coordinator for the LifeWise program and vice-chair of the Ministry of Trustees.  She is married to Stanley E. Harris, a retired career banker and fellow Linden-McKinley alumnus. Together they have one son, Wade Thomas Harris (wife Belinda), and three grandchildren, Nathan, Noah and Naomi.

LC Johnson is an award-winning writer, entrepreneur, and activist with a passion for uplifting and empowering women and communities of color. In addition to over ten years of experience developing and facilitating entrepreneurship, economic development, and social justice initiatives, she is the founder of Zora’s House – a coworking and community space whose mission is to provide women of color with the clarity, confidence, and connections they need to amplify their authentic voices; grow and contribute their talents; and powerfully transform their lives, careers, and communities. She has been recognized as a community leader, including Columbus CEO’s “CEO of the Year”, Columbus Business First’s “40 under 40,” “Columbus Future 50,” and is a twice featured guest on the #1 nationally syndicated daytime television show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. In her non-existent free time, LC enjoys reading Afrofuturistic novels; hiking with her hubby, two kiddos, and mutt; and EATING ALL OF THE THINGS.

Ray Miller is the former President & Publisher of The Columbus & Dayton African American news journal and a former Ohio State Senator.

In January of 2011, Mr. Miller founded The Columbus African American news journal. The publication quickly grew to become the largest, most broadly circulated minority focused print medium in Columbus and Central Ohio. Due to its success, in August of 2017, Miller expanded the news journal to include the city of Dayton, Ohio. The journal was well known for its substantive content and delivery of its mission to educate, inform, and empower the community.

In recognition of his commitment to developing the next generation of young leaders, The Ohio State University created The Ray Miller Institute for Change and Leadership at The Ohio State University Department of African American and African Studies.  Later, Mr. Miller created The Progressive Leadership Academy to insure the knowledge and wisdom of selected leaders was passed on to those who would soon succeed them. Collectively, there are more than 400 graduates of the program.

For 24 years, Miller served as a member of the Ohio General Assembly--16 years in the House of Representatives and eight years as a State Senator. He was a prolific legislator and is well known for being the chief sponsor of legislation which established the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, The Institute for Urban Education at Central State University, the Mental Health Reform Act, first-time State funding for Head Start in the State of Ohio and many other public policy and systemic change initiatives.

During his extensive professional career, Miller served at the executive level within organized labor, business, higher education and the Federal Government, as a Deputy Special Assistant on the White House Staff of President Jimmy Carter.

Mr. Miller delivered countless keynote addresses throughout the State of Ohio and the nation. He is blessed to have received more than 600 local, state and national awards for his legislative accomplishments and community service.

Mr. Miller previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Central State University. He is a Life Member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP.  In addition, he is an active member of Second Baptist Church located in Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Dan Moncrief III currently serves as National President of the National Association of Minority Contractors and has dedicated his career to advancing excellence and opportunity within the construction industry. For more than a decade, he has served as the visionary President and Chief Executive Officer of McDaniel’s Construction Corporation, Inc., a firm specializing in heavy highway construction, including roads and bridges, new building and commercial renovations, asphalt paving, and environmental services.

Under his leadership, the company has grown into one of Ohio’s prominent construction contractors, consistently delivering projects efficiently and at or under budget. His work has focused on organizational management, strategic planning, contract procurement, marketing, and fiscal oversight.

A steadfast advocate for minority-owned businesses, Mr. Moncrief is a founding member of OBAAO (Ohio Businesses Which Are African American Owned), the Buckeye Contractors Association, and the Urban Business Professional Association (UBPA). He played a significant role in the fight for reinstatement of Ohio House Bill 584 and in ensuring policies effectively addressed the needs of minority businesses.

His leadership and advocacy have earned him numerous honors, including the 1998 Advocate of the Year Award from UBPA, the 2000 Minority Business of the Year Award from the City of Columbus Equal Business Opportunity Commission, and the Otto Beatty, Jr. Warrior Award from the Columbus Chapter NAACP.

Mr. Moncrief previously served on the Central Ohio Transit Authority’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Advisory Committee and the Columbus Metropolitan Library Minority Contractors Advisory Board. He holds membership in the National Association of Minority Contractors and the Airport Minority Advisory Council. He is a past President of the Columbus Chapter of the Ohio Contractors Association, a member of the Columbus Builders Exchange, and a Silver Life Member of the NAACP Columbus Ohio Branch.

He is most proud of the legacy he continues to cultivate through his family, including his daughter, Lashone Moncrief, and his granddaughter, Cailyn Pittman. Through business, advocacy, mentorship, and family, Mr. Moncrief has built more than roads and bridges — he has built pathways to opportunity and a legacy that will endure for generations.

Alex Shumate counsels clients in business regulatory and legislative matters involving local, state and federal governments. As the former Managing Partner, North America, of Squire Patton Boggs, he provided strategic and operational guidance in pursuing new business opportunities regionally, nationally and internationally and in addressing issues arising from the Firm’s 18 offices across the United States.

Mr. Shumate is also a leader of legislative counseling and administrative law activities. He is consistently selected by his peers for inclusion in the annual The Best Lawyers in America and as an Ohio Super Lawyer. He was recently named the Best Lawyers’ Administrative/Regulatory Law Practice “Lawyer of the Year” for Columbus, Ohio.

In 2001, Smart Business Columbus magazine listed him in its Power 100: The People Who Make Things Happen in Corporate Columbus. In addition, Smart Business listed him sixth in its 2010 compilation of Columbus’ 100 most powerful business and community leaders. He also received Smart Business’ inaugural Smart 50 Award, recognizing central Ohio’s top 50 executives chosen for their ability to effectively build and lead innovative and smart organizations. Mr. Shumate was named by Savoy magazine as one of 2016’s Most Influential Black Corporate Directors. In recognition of his leadership in law, business and community, he was selected by Who’s Who Publishing as its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

In addition, Mr. Shumate received the Junior Achievement of Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame Induction for exemplary leadership contributions to the legal, business and civic communities, at large. He is also a recipient of United Way of Central Ohio Key Club Community Leadership Award.

Mr. Shumate is a Founding Director of Adelphi Bank, the first Black-owned bank in Ohio, and a current Board Member and Chair of its HR Governance Committee. He is Chair and a Director of the Columbus CEO Collective, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Black business leaders and promoting economic equality through leadership, advocacy and community engagement.

He previously served as the chair of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the Columbus Urban League Board and The James Foundation Board. He also served as Vice Chair of The Columbus Foundation and on the Executive Committee of Downtown Columbus, Inc. 

 Previously, he served as lead independent director of the J.M. Smucker Company and Chair of CyrusOne, Inc. He was secretary of The Columbus Partnership, President of the L Brands Foundation Board and Board Member of the Ohio Business Roundtable.

Mr. Shumate previously served three terms as a member of The Ohio State University's Board of Trustees where he performed two terms as chair of the board from 1997-98 and 2016-18, and one term as vice chair from 2011-12. During his time on the board, Mr. Shumate twice served as chair of the university’s Presidential Search Committee.

Mr. Shumate has been honored by organizations including the Columbus Bar Association, the United Way, the United Negro College Fund, the NAACP, the Ohio General Assembly, Capital University School of Law, and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. In 2003, he was named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Red Cross. In 2007, he received the Columbus Award, the most prestigious award given by the Columbus Chamber, for outstanding business and community leadership.

He is also the recipient of The Ohio State University Distinguished Service Award, the John B. Gerlach, Sr. Development Volunteer Award from The Ohio State University Foundation, the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award and the Robert S. Crane Trusteeship Award from Leadership Columbus.

He received his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University and his J.D. from the University of Akron. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Akron School of Law and was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Ohio Wesleyan University. Before joining Squire Patton Boggs, he served as chief counsel and deputy chief of staff to the Governor of the State of Ohio and as assistant attorney general, State of Ohio.

Mr. Shumate resides in New Albany, Ohio, with his wife Renée and he has two sons, John Alexander and the late Aaron Michael.