2026
Ohio Celebrates
Toni Morrison
2027
A Statewide Toni Morrison Celebration
ABOUT THECELEBRATION
From February 18, 2026 through February 18, 2027, Ohio will celebrate the life, literature, and legacy of Toni Morrison, Lorain, Ohio native and the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. This project is designed and led by Literary Cleveland with Ohio Humanities, Ohioana Library Association, and the Toni Morrison Society.
A Full Year of Events
Kickoff
February 18, 2026 Columbus
Cleveland Book Fest
September 2026 Cleveland
Beloved Event
January 2027 Cincinnati
Closing
February 18, 2027 Lorain
A Yearlong Celebration
The yearlong celebration will begin with a kickoff event in the capitol of Columbus and close in Morrison’s hometown of Lorain. Partners in every county of the state will hold individual events including readings and discussions of her writing, talks with authors and important figures that Morrison influenced, school activities and writing contests, film screenings and performances inspired by her work, and much more.
Statewide Collaborations
Key events led by major partners will form the backbone of the yearlong celebration, but the majority of events will be proposed and run by libraries, organizations, and arts groups in every county in the state. The goal is to have a variety of opportunities for Ohioans to meet in person in their community as well as ways to connect online through virtual programs and online resources such as reading guides, videos, and a podcast.
Featured Events
GetInvolved
Chloe Wofford (Toni Morrison) working on the Lorain High School “Hi-Standard” newspaper. Lorain High School Yearbook (Scimitar), 1949. Lorain County Memory.
Funding
The core planning group is seeking funding to support the full project, statewide programs, web resources, as well as individual events.
Submit an Event
Organizations and groups across the state can propose programs or lend support to the design of the statewide project.
Stay Updated
Join the Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison Newsletter! Be the first to hear about events and details for the yearlong, statewide celebration.
Volunteering
Want to help out? Add your name to our volunteer list to learn about ways you can get involved.
