Dwight Tillery facts for kids

Dwight Tillery, born on March 10, 1948, is an American politician and activist. He has worked for over 50 years to bring fairness and equal chances to African Americans and other minority groups. His efforts have made a big difference in politics, business, and public health.

Tillery's leadership helped improve the lives of Black residents in Cincinnati, Ohio. He focused on racial justice, education, community involvement, and health. He was the first Black Mayor of Cincinnati, serving from 1991 to 1993. He also spent eight years on the Cincinnati City Council. Tillery helped start important groups like the United Black Students Association and The Center for Closing the Health Gap. He also taught at the University of Cincinnati and Miami University.

Early Life

Dwight Tillery grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He lived in the West End and Evanston neighborhoods. He went to public schools and graduated from Withrow High School in 1966.

Education and Activism

Tillery earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Cincinnati in 1970. While there, he helped start the United Black Association. This group is now called the United Black Students Association. It was one of the first Black organizations to get funding from the university.

Tillery and his classmates worked hard to make changes. Their actions helped create UC's African American Studies department. They also helped bring more Black teachers and leaders to the university. They pushed for an African American Cultural and Resource Center, which opened in 1990. Tillery then earned his law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Michigan Law School in 1972. In 1992, he received an honorary doctorate from Cincinnati Technical College.

Career in Law and Teaching

Dwight Tillery is a licensed lawyer in Ohio. He can also practice law in federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He joined a law firm in 1991 and started his own firm, Tillery and Associates, in 1977.

He worked as an Assistant Solicitor for the City of Cincinnati from 1973 to 1974. He was also a Senior Assistant Attorney General of Ohio from 1983 to 1985. Tillery helped start the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati in 1974. He was elected Vice President of the National Bar Association twice.

Tillery also taught at the University of Cincinnati from 1975 to 1977. He created a special course called "The Law and Black People." In 1985, he taught Business Law at Miami University. In 2016, the Tillery Fellowship was created. This fellowship helps students who want to improve public health for people who need it most.

Public Service and Leadership

In 1991, Tillery became the first Mayor of Cincinnati to be elected by the people. He served until 1993. As Mayor, he created a group to help small businesses. He also started the Mayor's Commission on Children, Reshaping Youth Priorities. This was the city's first program to prevent violence among young people.

Tillery played a key role in setting up an eleven-million-dollar fund. This fund helped African American businesses get started. He also helped create a program to guide minority businesses. One successful business that started with this help was Blue Chip Broadcasting Company. This company grew to own 13 radio stations.

As Mayor, Tillery also made sure that minority individuals were appointed to the boards of major companies. These included OHIO Gas & Electric Co. and the Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company.

After being Mayor, Tillery served on the Cincinnati City Council again from 1993 to 1998. As a council member, he founded Grassroots Academy. This organization taught leadership skills to hundreds of people with lower incomes. It helped them understand government and find resources for their communities. Tillery also helped get resources for a grocery store in the Avondale Community, a mostly Black neighborhood. He also helped appoint Cincinnati's first Black Assistant Police Chief.

Health Initiatives

In 2004, Tillery founded The Center for Closing the Health Gap. He started this center to address big health differences between African American, Latino, and White Appalachian communities. The Center quickly became known nationally for its work. Tillery served as its Founder, President, and CEO until 2019.

The Center works with over 100 different organizations. These include the City Council, the National Action Network, and the Black Nurses Association. Some of the Center's programs include:

• The Do Right! Campaign: This program helps people make healthier choices about food and exercise.
• The Cincinnati Fresh Food Retail Financing Fund: This helps bring fresh food to areas that don't have many grocery stores.
• An Annual Health Expo: Thousands of people attend this event for free health screenings.

The Center also works to raise awareness about health differences. It encourages more diversity in the healthcare field.

The Black Agenda Cincinnati

In 2016, Tillery helped start The Black Agenda Cincinnati. This group worked with The Cincinnati Herald newspaper to create Cincinnati Black History. This is a digital platform where people can share and save stories about Black heritage.

Appointments

• Assistant City Solicitor, Cincinnati
• Fellow Member, Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation 1974-1975
• Assistant Executive Vice President for Administration and Associate University Council 1974
• Adjunct assistant professor of law and adjunct assistant professor of Afro-American Studies 1975-1977
• Vice Chair, Cincinnati Human Rights Commission 1975-1980
• Member, Cincinnati Board Health 1976-1980
• Chair, Cincinnati Board of Health's Advisory Council on Youth Violence 1991-1993
• Vice Chair, Ohio State Personnel Board of Review – 2009-2012
• Member, Board of Directors, W. Montague Cobb/National Medical Association (NMA) Health Institute 2012
• Host, “The Calling” talk show on Radio One 2018–2019
• Member, Guiding Coalition, Urban League of Southwestern Ohio
• Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Community Engagement, W. Montague Cobb/National Medical Association (NMA) Health Institute 2015-2023
• Trustee, Retirement Board of the City of Cincinnati
• Vice President, National Bar Association

Awards

• 1992 honorary degree from Cincinnati Technical College
• 1992 University of Cincinnati President's Award for Excellence
• 1992 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Equal Opportunity Center, Ohio Department of Administrative Services
• 2014 Center for Clinical and Transitional Science and Training Community Health Advocate Award
• 2015 Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio Glorifying the Lions honoree
• 2016 Georgia E. Beasley Legacy Award, University of Cincinnati

Memberships

• Fellow, American Bar Association
• Lifetime member, National Bar Association
• Member, Cincinnati Bar Association
• Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Founder and Member, Black Lawyers Association Cincinnati
• Member, University of Cincinnati Men of Metro Service Honorary, 1969
• Omicron Delta Kappa National Honorary Society, University of Cincinnati
• Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges