Ohio Committee for Fair Employment Practice Legislation.

Political pressure group founded in 1948 to lobby for fair employment legislation in Ohio.

The Ohio Committee for Fair Employment Practice Legislation was founded on November 11, 1948, by a group of citizens concerned with the elimination of discriminatory practices in employment. Judge Lockwood Thompson of Cleveland, Ohio, was elected the committee's first chairman. The committee was organized as a lobby group dedicated to the passage of fair employment legislation. To this end it established an organization of state and local councils, headed by an executive committee and legislative representative. The committee also drafted and lobbied for sponsorship of Fair Employment Practice Commission (FEPC) bills in the Ohio legislature, and promoted the establishment of a statewide civil rights organization with broad powers.

The state office for the Ohio committee was established in Cleveland, first under the directorship of Charles Lucas of the Ohio NAACP. In 1952 Sam Weisberg of the Jewish Labor Committee of Ohio was appointed director, a post he retained throughout the committee's existence. Lucas continued in his position as committee lobbyist. Local councils were set up in twenty-four cities, with individual memberships available to these local councils or the state organization. Funds were raised through direct appeals to individuals and organizations. Representatives of the local councils lobbied candidates, helped draft legislation, and assisted in educating all Ohio citizens as to the purpose of, and administration of, FEPC legislation.

It was not until 1959 that the Ohio legislature passed FEPC legislation in the form of amended Senate Bill #10, under the governorship of Michael V. DiSalle. This bill created the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, empowered to hear and decide upon complaints brought before it concerning discriminatory practices in employment. The Ohio Committee for Fair Employment Practice Legislation continued to operate under the name of the Ohio Committee for Civil Rights, to protect FEPC legislation from crippling amendments, to fight for legislation in the field of public accommodation, and to study discrimination in housing. In 1961 House Bill #918 passed, empowering the Civil Rights Commission to deal with the problems of discrimination in public accommodation. To reflect the growing momentum in the area of civil rights, the Ohio Committee continued to function to protect the goals already achieved, to educate the public on the role of the civil rights commission, to assist in the implementation of the provisions of the legislation and protect the budget of the commission, and to spur further growth, particularly in the area of fair housing legislation.

The Ohio Committee for Fair Employment Practice Legislation was founded on November 11, 1948, by a group of citizens concerned with the elimination of discriminatory practices in employment. Judge Lockwood Thompson of Cleveland, Ohio, was elected the committee's first chairman. The committee was organized as a lobby group dedicated to the passage of fair employment legislation. To this end it established an organization of state and local councils, headed by an executive committee and legislative representative. The committee also drafted and lobbied for sponsorship of Fair Employment Practice Commission (FEPC) bills in the Ohio legislature, and promoted the establishment of a statewide civil rights organization with broad powers.

The state office for the Ohio committee was established in Cleveland, first under the directorship of Charles Lucas of the Ohio NAACP. In 1952 Sam Weisberg of the Jewish Labor Committee of Ohio was appointed director, a post he retained throughout the committee's existence. Lucas continued in his position as committee lobbyist. Local councils were set up in twenty-four cities, with individual memberships available to these local councils or the state organization. Funds were raised through direct appeals to individuals and organizations. Representatives of the local councils lobbied candidates, helped draft legislation, and assisted in educating all Ohio citizens as to the purpose of, and administration of, FEPC legislation.

It was not until 1959 that the Ohio legislature passed FEPC legislation in the form of amended Senate Bill #10, under the governorship of Michael V. DiSalle. This bill created the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, empowered to hear and decide upon complaints brought before it concerning discriminatory practices in employment. The Ohio Committee for Fair Employment Practice Legislation continued to operate under the name of the Ohio Committee for Civil Rights, to protect FEPC legislation from crippling amendments, to fight for legislation in the field of public accommodation, and to study discrimination in housing. In 1961 House Bill #918 passed, empowering the Civil Rights Commission to deal with the problems of discrimination in public accommodation. To reflect the growing momentum in the area of civil rights, the Ohio Committee continued to function to protect the goals already achieved, to educate the public on the role of the civil rights commission, to assist in the implementation of the provisions of the legislation and protect the budget of the commission, and to spur further growth, particularly in the area of fair housing legislation.