Why flags are at half-staff in Ohio on Saturday

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered U.S. and Ohio flags to be flown at half-staff.

Flags have been lowered on Ohio's public buildings and grounds throughout Cuyahoga County, the Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center and the Rhodes Tower since Thursday in honor of former State Senator C.J. Prentiss, who died on April 2 at age 82 after a prolonged illness. DeWine ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on Saturday for her funeral.

A pioneering civil rights advocate, Prentiss was a member of the State Board of Education from 1985 until 1990 before serving in the Ohio General Assembly as a Democrat from 1991 to 2006. In 1005, she become the second Black woman to serve as Senate minority leader and was also the first female president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

Prentiss earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, a master's degree in education from Cleveland State University, and a post-graduate certificate in Administration from Kent State University. C.J. also attended the advanced management program at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management.

The Democrat was instrumental is organizing a statewide coalition to put a minimum wage increase on the ballot in 2006, The amendment passed, raising the minimum wage and ensuring future increases to keep up with inflation.

When Senate colleagues refused to fund a House-passed breakfast program for students, Prentiss went on a 10-day hunger strike. The opposition folded, and the program, which largely benefited students from poor Appalachian families, was funded.

"Her contributions to education, social justice, and much more, have left a lasting impact on the State of Ohio," said Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland). "Her dedication to representing marginalized voices and improving our state will be remembered and cherished. Senator Prentiss’s legacy of service and advocacy will continue to inspire us all."