Named after Cincinnati’s “First Couple of Civil Rights,” the Spencer Awards celebrate the couple’s achievements and honors nonprofits and businesses that have made a commitment to prioritize serving diverse populations with equity and inclusion. Mr. Spencer died in 2010, before the inception of the awards. Ms. Spencer participated in the dinner each year until her death in 2019.
Marian Spencer was known for fighting to integrate Coney Island amusement park so her children could swim in the pool. She also was the first African American president of the Woman’s City Club of Greater Cincinnati and the first African American member of Cincinnati City Council. Donald Spencer was the first African American on the Cincinnati Park Board, the first African American broker on the Cincinnati Board of Realtors and the first African American trustee at Ohio University.
When reading the nominations, we receive each year for the Spencer Awards, the outstanding work being done by so many organizations in our community to improve the lives of our citizens is an inspiration to us all. Cincinnatus has this unique opportunity to recognize and share the efforts of our honorees to help those in need achieve their ‘Cincinnati Dream’ through their services, education, and inclusion of all citizens.
Awards Criteria
The accomplishments of our award recipients mirror the mission of the Cincinnatus Association – to improve the quality of life for citizens in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Award recipients have: 1) intentionally made a commitment to prioritize serving diverse populations with equity and inclusivity; and 2) delivered “conspicuous and enduring” contributions that have created greater inclusion in our community and/or impacted equity, justice, and human rights issues, thus improving the quality of life for citizens.
Please complete and submit any nominations by December 31, 2025.