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Judge Nathan Manning co-sponsored commemorating Toni Morrison in 2020, right after her death. When he was asked for his statement about her legacy, he shared the following with us:

"Lorain is fortunate to have Toni Morrison as part of its story. Her extraordinary success demonstrated that someone from our community could reach the highest levels of literary achievement, and it is something we can be proud of for generations to come. It was an honor to recognize her life and accomplishments with my colleagues in the Ohio Senate, and it remains a privilege to see her legacy celebrated throughout our state."

Here is the official Senate resolution to commemorate Toni Morrison. It was designated by House Bill 325 in December 2020 and signed into law under Section 5.293 of the Ohio Revised Code. In addition to Judge Manning, State Representative Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) cosponsored the bill. As a result, February 18 became Toni Morrison Day in Ohio, marking the birth date of Chloe Anthony Wofford (Toni Morrison) in Lorain. 

Senate Resolution No. 341

As Adopted by the Senate

133rd General Assembly Regular Session, 2019–2020 S. R. No. 341

Senators Sykes, Manning

Cosponsors: Senators Antonio, Craig, Eklund, Fedor, Kunze, Lehner, Maharath, Rulli, Schuring, Thomas, Williams, Yuko

A RESOLUTION

In memory of Toni Morrison.

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the 133rd General Assembly of Ohio were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Toni Morrison and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends; and

WHEREAS, No list of accomplishments could begin to do Toni Morrison justice, for she was among the very finest people to ever call our state home. Born in Lorain to a working class family in 1931, she endured the cruelties of the era to attend Howard University, and she served as a professor and an editor before ultimately fulfilling her dream of becoming a writer when her first book, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970. Acclaim would soon follow and would continue through the whole of her life, leading to her becoming the first, and so far only, African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and being presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in addition to countless other accolades; and

WHEREAS, To see the impact of stories and storytellers, one only needs to look at Toni Morrison’s innumerable contributions to our society. Her writing and editing broke barriers and opened doors, not just for her but for other African Americans who could look up and see a face like theirs on the highest stages of literature. Her books allow people to come to know her and therein come to know a part of themselves, open eyes to the potential contained within everyone, they chronicle the sins of our nation’s past for future generations to remember and understand, and never cease to move others, be it to tears, to action, or to just simply be better. A devoted mother to her two sons, she will be missed, not just by our state but also by our world; and

WHEREAS, Toni Morrison has left us, but her legacy continues through her work. Her stories will play a part in shaping countless people, for she set an example of kindness, generosity, care, and eloquence for all of humanity to strive toward; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 133rd General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, mourn the loss and honor the legacy of one of Ohio’s greatest daughters, Toni Morrison; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a duly authenticated copy of this Resolution to the family of Toni Morrison.

Source: Ohio Senate, 133rd General Assembly, S. R. No. 341, As Adopted by the Senate, pp. 1–2.