Hinton Honored with Civil Rights Day Award
A Fairmont State University faculty member has been selected by Gov. Joe Manchin III as an honoree for the 2009 Governor's Civil Rights Day Award.
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Dr. Gregory T. Hinton, FSU Professor of Business Law, will receive the award, which recognizes the accomplishments of those whom have made outstanding contributions in the civil rights arena. He will be recognized during a luncheon program on West Virginia Civil Rights Day, Thursday, Feb. 26, at West Virginia State University in Institute.
"Our theme is 'From Whence We Came.' It is important to remember our past as we look toward our future," stated Gov. Joe Manchin III in a letter announcing Hinton's award. "You, and the other honorees, have made this country a better place to live and it is because of your efforts that we enjoy the level of diversity we have today. Your commitment and passion to the struggle for equality and justice will not be forgotten."
Hinton joined the Fairmont State faculty in 1989. He earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from West Virginia University after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairmont State.
A lifelong resident of Marion County, Hinton has distinguished himself in service to his community in a wide variety of roles. He was elected to the Fairmont City Council in 1977 and served on the council for nine years. During his tenure, he became the first African-American to be elected mayor of a major city in West Virginia. After his term, Hinton served as city of Fairmont Building Commissioner for one year.
He has also served on numerous boards and professional associations. These include tenures as both vice president and president of the Mountain State Bar Association and a term as president of the Marion County Chapter of the NAACP. He has held membership on the boards of Fairmont General Hospital, WNPB-TV and the Marion County Armory. Hinton has maintained an ongoing relationship with numerous organizations, churches and schools as a guest speaker.
At Fairmont State, Hinton has been recognized for curriculum design for the course, "Race, Class and Gender." He provided the leadership for development of the course and chaired the committee that created the course, which is completing its 16th year of existence and has provided thousands of students, both in high school and college, with a fundamental understanding of the interrelationship of race, class and gender.
Hinton has been honored as the Student Government Teacher of the Year and has twice been the recipient of the William A. Boram Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was the first faculty member selected by Student Government to present the "Last Lecture," and he has received the Fairmont State Excellence in Advising Award and the Faculty Recognition Award. He received The Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia, Inc. Professor of the Year Award in 1997. He has been named West Virginia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation, and he was nationally recognized among African-American leaders with the Strong Men and Strong Women: Excellence in Leadership Award. The West Virginia Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission gave Hinton the "Living the Dream" Award for scholarship and his dedication to education.
 
Dr. Gregory T. Hinton
