On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Ohio will officially launch Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison—a yearlong, statewide celebration honoring the life, work, and legacy of Toni Morrison—with a kickoff event at The Columbus Foundation.

The celebration will open on Toni Morrison Day, Wednesday, Feb. 18, with a kickoff event at The Columbus Foundation at 5 p.m. featuring a conversation between Namwali Serpell and Hanif Abdurraqib. Inspired by Serpell’s new book On Morrison, the conversation will explore Morrison’s lasting influence and why her work continues to matter today. The kickoff event will be live-streamed, opening the conversation to audiences across Ohio and beyond. Register for the livestream at https://bit.ly/OhioCelebratesToniMorrisonKickoff.

The Cleveland Kickoff — On Feb. 18, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Karamu House featuring readings and an open mic (this event follows the livestream of the Columbus event)

Born in Lorain, Ohio on February 18, 1931, Toni Morrison became the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. Her eleven novels trace American history through the Black experience—from A Mercy in the 1680s to God Help the Child in the early 2000s—offering readers a journey through time and truth. Her debut novel, The Bluest Eye, is set in her hometown of Lorain; Sula takes place in a fictional Ohio town; and Beloved is set in Cincinnati. This project builds on the state’s declaration of February 18 as Toni Morrison Day and aligns with America250, a national effort commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison is a yearlong celebration from February 2026 through February 18, 2027 exploring the life, literature, and legacy of Toni Morrison. Led by Literary Cleveland and Ohio Humanities with support from Ohioana Library Association and the Toni Morrison Society, the program will invite all Ohioans to learn about Toni Morrison, read her work, reflect on American history, discuss the themes of her writing, and build connections across the state.