The African American Awareness Research Council (AAARC) is has announced that this year’s annual Black History Program will honor M.D. Craig McKinney and will feature a speech by educator George Ford.

The program is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m. Each year, an outstanding community member is honored. This year’s honoree, McKinney, is a general surgeon at Highland District Hospital. He has been with the hospital since 2018.

McKinney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in Cleveland Heights. He attended public schools and then received his undergraduate degree with a major in history at Duke University in 1990. In 1996, he received his medical degree from the Howard University College of Medicine. McKinney completed his general surgery training at the Cleveland Clinic in 2001. He was a research fellow in oncology at the University of Michigan until 2004, and in 2006, he completed a surgical oncology fellowship at the National Institutes of Health.

McKinney’s penchant for helping others is no surprise since his family background is rich in community service. His father, Dr. Edward A. McKinney, PhD, is a retired professor of social work at Cleveland State University and recent inductee into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. His mother, Louise E. McKinney, JD, is a retired attorney who worked both at legal aid and as an educator at Case Western Reserve University. Both of his parents are also Fulbright scholars who have worked extensively in sub-Saharan Africa. McKinney’s brother, Dr. William A. McKinney, PhD, is the executive director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that addresses the many needs of the community in one of the most impoverished and violent parts of Philadelphia.

In addition to inducting an honoree, another tradition of the Black History Program is to feature a guest speaker. Every speech comes with priceless insight and knowledge, and this year’s speaker is Ford.

Ford was born and raised in Greenfield where he graduated from Edward Lee McClain High School in 1962. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in health, physical education and biology from Wilmington College in 1967 and a master’s degree in educational administration from Wright State University in 1975.

After graduating from Wilmington College, Ford was employed by the Dayton Public Schools for nine years as a classroom teacher and administrative intern. After obtaining his master’s degree in educational administration, he was hired in 1976 by the Trotwood-Madison School District as an assistant principal where he served nine years. In 1985, he was selected by the Trotwood-Madison School District for the position of director of staff and community relations. He served in this capacity for twelve and one-half years prior to his retirement in December 1998.

Ford came out of retirement in October 2002 to accept a position as part-time building principal for Montgomery County Juvenile Court. He retired from this position as full-time educational administrator in 2012.

Ford is married to Linda Patmon Ford and has a blended family which includes two sons, one daughter, and three grandchildren. While raised in Greenfield, Ford attended the Shorter Chapel AME Church. He now attends David’s United Church in Kettering.

Up to the present date, Ford has maintained an active involvement with a variety of community organizations and activities.

The Black History program will also feature musical selections, prayer and the presentation of scholarship recipients. It will be held at the First Church of the Nazarene, located at 8230 U.S. Route 50 in Hillsboro.

Submitted by Suzanne Roberts, Highland County District Library.